Four Chicago men have been charged in the death of 9-year-old Antonio Smith, who was shot while standing in a yard in the Grand Crossing neighborhood on Aug. 20.
Antonio was shot at least four times, according to CBS.
Charged in connection with the killing were Derrick D. Allmon, 19; Michael D. Baker, 19; and 19-year-old Jabari Williams, and a fourth, 19-year-old Paris Denard., Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said Friday.
The four are being held without bond.
According to the Sun Times:
Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said Friday that Allmon shot the boy because he thought he was warning the rival gang members Allmon was after.
He said Allmon shot the boy after Antonio said a single word: “Hey.”
Allmon then threw his gun in a sewer and ran, according to police and prosecutors. In court Saturday, authorities said Baker picked up Allmon and drove him to Denard’s house, telling Baker in the car: “I just hit a shorty. I just hit a shorty.”
He also told Denard and others he had just shot and killed a child, prosecutors said.
At Denard’s house, Allmon urinated on his hands to try to get rid of the gunshot residue, then changed his shirt before returning home to check in with electronic monitoring. The shooting happened around 4 p.m. Under the terms of his parole, Allmon was allowed to leave home between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., prosecutors said.
Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez did not confirm the report that Antonio was trying to warn other gang members, giving no motive in Allmon’s actions. The boy’s family members said that he left the house after having a temper tantrum and his brother chased after him. Shortly after, Antonio’s mother called police to report her son missing. She received a phone call minutes later about her son’s fatal shooting.
“I just believe that was where he was heading to and got caught in some gang crossfire,” Hodges said last month. “He wasn’t into gangs. We just got him into football. That wasn’t his lifestyle.”
All four men charged face a count of first-degree murder. Williams also faces a count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Antonio’s family during this difficult time.
