Illinois teen charged in deadly shooting of Elgin student outside Lil Durk concert

A man was charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a teenager going to a Lil Durk concert at the United Center last October.

The backstory:

Deron Wolfe, 19, was arrested Friday and charged with murder - other forcible felony and armed robbery, both felonies, according to police.

Police said Wolfe was part of a group who shot and killed the 18-year-old man during a robbery just before 7 p.m. on Oct. 20 in the 100 block of North Wolcott Avenue. Two other teens, 15 and 19, were wounded in the shooting.

All three victims were taken to Stroger Hospital where the 18-year-old was pronounced dead. He was identified as Jess Kendall of Elgin, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Relatives said Kendall wanted to surprise his girlfriend with tickets to Lil Durk’s First Annual Birthday Bash at the United Center for her birthday. They found free parking up the street and were headed to the stadium when they were approached by four people who demanded their belongings.

The group complied but as the suspects began to walk away, an argument erupted between them and Kendall. During the confrontation, one of the suspects struck Kendall in the head with a gun before opening fire, shooting him multiple times, including in the head, according to police.

The video below is from a previous FOX 32 report.

Dig deeper:

Jess Kendall was a senior at Elgin High School at the time of his death

Thomas Kendall, Jess' brother, described him as "the most honorable kid you could ever meet."

"Love your loved ones," Thomas Kendall said. "You don't know what could happen in a split second. You know, the little kid was my best friend, my little brother. He was 18. We did everything together."

Relatives said Jess Kendall was all about family, smart, a lover of auto mechanics and enjoyed a good time. He also did odd jobs for neighbors and seniors.

Jess Kendall was excited to graduate and head to college pursuing a degree in automotives. In the days after the shooting, counselors were at Elgin H.S. offering support.

What's next:

Wolfe, of Rantoul, has a detention hearing scheduled for Monday.

The Source: The information in this story came from Chicago police, interviews with the victim's family and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

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