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Man Charged With Murder Of Boy, 13, In Pizzeria At Foster And Broadway

CHICAGO (CBS) --- A Rogers Park man stands charged with shooting and killing a 13-year-old boy in a pizzeria at Foster Avenue and Broadway in the Uptown neighborhood.

Andre Alejandro, 22, of the 1400 block of West Chase Avenue, is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting that killed Ivan Alanis, of the 7400 block of North Western Avenue.

Police said at 2:20 a.m. Tuesday, the boy was eating pizza with his sister and her male acquaintance at Laurie's Pizza and Liquors – which carries the address 5153 N. Broadway but actually fronts Foster Avenue. They encountered Alejandro, who started yelling gang slogans at them.

Afterward, Alejandro briefly left the pizzeria, then returned with a handgun and fired several shots through the open door, police said.

Alejandro then ran east on Foster Avenue.

Alanis was struck in the face, and was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition, police said.

He was pronounced dead there at 3:16 a.m. Tuesday, according to the medical examiner's office.

The Uptown Update blog expressed alarm that gang violence had erupted at the north end of the neighborhood, which is typically a quiet area.

"We remember from college days that Laurie's is open really late most nights, so it's not unusual to hear about people eating there in the wee hours," Uptown Update said. "What is unusual is hearing about shootings in that part of Uptown, right on the border with Edgewater. Makes us wonder if Rogers Park's recent gang activity is spilling over into Uptown (given the victim's home address) or if it was a case of mistaken identity."

Police say the shooting appears to be gang-related.

Alejandro is scheduled for a noon bond hearing in Violence Court (Br. 66) at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse.

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