http://www.suntimes.com/photos/galleries/index.html?story=29985845
A gang member recently out of jail shot and killed a 9-year-old boy because he thought the child was warning his intended targets — rival gang members, Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said Friday.
“This didn’t have to happen,” McCarthy told reporters as he announced charges in Antonio Smith’s murder.
The four men charged with first-degree murder are Derrick Allmon, 19, of the 7400 block of South Shore Drive; Jabari Williams, 22, of the 1900 block of North Sycamore Street in Hanover Park; Michael Baker, 19, of the 8100 block of South Wentworth Avenue; and Paris Denard, 19, of the 7300 block of South Dorchester Avenue.
Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered all four men held without bond Saturday.
Antonio was shot and killed Aug. 20 in the backyard of a home in the 1200 block of East 73rd Street.
Family members told the Sun-Times that Antonio stormed out of the family apartment when his mother refused to get him a cupcake.
McCarthy on Friday said the four men were part of a group driving around in two vehicles, in search of rival gang members. They stopped when they saw two intended targets. That’s when Williams gave Allmon a gun, and told him to shoot the men.
When Allmon reached the backyard of a home, he saw Antonio, and believed he was warning the men. So he began firing, hitting the boy several times in the back and side, McCarthy said. He was just between four and 10 feet away from Antonio when the fatal shots were fired.
When Allmon saw Antonio, the boy screamed "Hey!" before being shot six times, in the back, shoulder, side and hand, prosecutors said Saturday.
After Allmon shot Antonio, he got into a getaway vehicle driven by Baker and told him, "I just hit a shorty. I just hit a shorty," prosecutors said.