CHICAGO (STMW) – A man who turned himself in to police in connection with the Tuesday shooting of two girls in the West Pullman neighborhood on the Far South Side has been charged.

Jermaine A. Louis, 18, of the 11700 block of South Laflin Street, was charged with two counts of aggravated battery, according to police News Affairs.

The girls were outside in the 1300 block of West 117th when they were shot just before 8 p.m. Tuesday. Nikia Turner, 12, was shot in the stomach and Tishona Polk, 13, was shot in the buttocks.

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Louis is the same man who turned himself in to Area South detectives Thursday evening in connection with the shootings, police News Affairs Officer Ron Gaines said.

His family contacted anti-violence group CeaseFire Roseland through a lawyer to facilitate the surrender, said Bob Jackson, head of CeaseFire Roseland. Jackson said the man wanted to clear his name, as witnesses pointed him out as the gunman.

“The man was marked for death on the street and the family didn’t know where to turn to,” Jackson said, adding that family feared gangs would seek revenge and took refuge at a safe house since the shooting.

Police had been searching for suspects.

Police said the shooting was gang-related, but Jackson said the family of the man insists he is not affiliated with a gang.

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