Teen arrested in fatal shooting of Humboldt Park 7-year-old, police say
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder in the late October shooting death of 7-year-old Akeem Briscoe, Chicago police said Tuesday.
The teen who police suspect is in part responsible for the killing was arrested Monday, Superintendent David Brown said at a news conference. The young boy was killed by a stray bullet that came through a window at his Humboldt Park home on Oct. 26.
The boy was shot “in the bathroom, washing his hands, which should be one of the safest places your child should be,” Brown said.
The bullet was fired during a clash between two groups in an alley near the boy’s home, Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said.
Police do not believe the teen, who was 15 years old at the time of the shooting, fired the gun. Instead, they suspect that he had the gun and passed it to one of two adults who shot the bullet that killed the 7-year-old, Deenihan said. The two adults are in custody, he added.
“We have a little more work to do on this case,” he said.
The teen is being charged with first-degree murder, Brown said.
Police also announced an arrest in the Oct. 24 shooting death of a 30-year-old man outside Chicago’s Greyhound bus station.
Brown said that first-degree murder charges are pending for a twice-convicted felon who was arrested Monday in Alabama.
“I hope these arrests send a very strong message that no one can hide from justice. We will find you,” Brown said. “I also hope that these arrests and these charges bring some measure, some small measure of closure to the grieving families.”
