16-year-old boy charged in triple murder, robbery in Chatham – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: nvmwebsites-budwg5g9avh3epea.z03.azurefd.net)
Chatham – Prosecutors have filed charges against a second suspect in a February 2024 shooting that killed three people and wounded a fourth inside a home on Chicago’s South Side. The 16-year-old, who remains unnamed because authorities expect to prosecute him as a juvenile, faces multiple counts of first-degree murder and armed robbery. His arrest marks the latest development in a case that began with a group of young people gathered in a bedroom and ended in gunfire.
The Gathering That Turned Deadly
Details released during an earlier court hearing described how four individuals spent the afternoon of February 25, 2024, inside a residence in the 8000 block of South Vincennes Avenue. The group included the now-charged 16-year-old, 14-year-old Amere Deese, 36-year-old Randy Graham, and 20-year-old Ladeverette West Ringgold, who lived at the address. They passed time handling a rifle before placing it on the floor behind a television.
Antonio Velasco, then 17 and now 18, arrived later with his 13-year-old brother. The larger group smoked marijuana together. Roughly two hours after that arrival, prosecutors said Velasco left the room briefly and returned with a handgun equipped with an extended magazine. He allegedly directed his brother to retrieve the rifle, then opened fire on the four others present. Deese, Graham, and Ringgold died at the scene. The 16-year-old survived a gunshot wound to the leg.
Charges Filed Against the Juvenile Suspect
The 16-year-old now faces three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of murder during the commission of a forcible felony, one count of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of armed robbery. Court records indicate he is the second person formally charged in connection with the incident. Velasco was arrested first and remains in custody pending further hearings…