Prosecutors: Teen Charged With Killing 11-Year-Old Was Aiming For Gang Rivals
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cook County prosecutors said the 18-year-old man accused of killing 11-year-old Shamiya Adams was aiming for a group rival gang members who had attacked a friend in the West Garfield Park neighborhood, even though that friend told him the boys who had beaten him were not there.
During a bond hearing Friday, Assistant Cook County State's Atty. Robert Mack alleged Tevin Lee opened fire on a group of boys he believed to be rival gang members who had shoved 14-year-old friend of his off a bike and beat him earlier in the day at the same spot in the 3900 block of West Gladys Avenue.
"The witness who had been attacked earlier told this defendant that he did not see either of the boys who had attacked him earlier," Mack said. "Despite being told that the persons who attacked his friend were not present, this defendant drew a handgun, and fired three to four shots in the direction of the group of boys."
Lee missed his targets, and one of the bullets went through an open window at the home where Shamiya was playing with friends during a sleepover, hitting her in the head.
"As the victim and her friend were preparing to make s'mores, a bullet fired by this defendant entered the home, striking the victim in the right side of her skull," Mack said.
Bail Denied For Suspect In Shaniya Adams' Killing
According to Mack, several witnesses identified Lee as the gunman, and claimed he bragged that he thought he'd shot one of his targets.
"This defendant admitted to a witness that he, quote, 'thought he shot one of those f****** n-words,'" Mack said. "This defendant also admitted to a witness that he had gotten rid of the gun."
Lee's godfather, Wallace Bryant, was in court for Lee's bond hearing, and said he has a hard time believing his godson would shoot at anyone.
"I just want to know the truth. Because, see, I know Tevin don't do things like this. Tevin just graduated from high school," he said.
Bryant said his nephew was getting ready to go to college to study criminal justice, and wanted to be a police officer. He said Lee was in an anti-violence program, and would definitely fight, but it would be out of character for him to shoot someone.
"It's so hard to believe," Bryant said. "His character is not like that. I can't believe he would do that, because he would rather box. He knows how to fight. He's a boxer. Shooting somebody? He won't do that."
Bryant said Lee was living with him until he graduated high school, then he moved back in with his mother.
"I wanted him to be in the house at 9 o'clock. He don't want to be in at 9. Now that he's grown, and he's graduated, I let him go stay with his momma so he could stay out after 9 o'clock," he said. "This murder happened at 9:36. If he was still staying with me, he would have been at home."
Lee was ordered held without bail.
Shamiya's funeral was set for Saturday.
