Autopsy Concludes Zion Teen's Death Was Homicide
CHICAGO (STMW) -- The Lake County coroner has ruled that the death of a teen shot twice in the back by a Zion police officer was a homicide.
Coroner Thomas Rudd's official autopsy report, issued Tuesday, also said that 17-year-old Justus Howell had smoked a marijuana cigarette within a few hours of his death. His blood alcohol level was .035, which is below the legal limit, Rudd said.
"He had a little alcohol in him, but there was nothing that indicated that he was inebriated," Rudd said.
Howell tested negative for all other drugs, Rudd said.
Howell was shot while fleeing police about 2 p.m. on April 4, near 24th and Galilee, police said. A handgun was recovered, police said.
Two witnesses have told the Sun Times that Howell was not armed at the time of the shooting.
The Lake County Major Crime Task Force, FBI and the Lake County state's attorney's office are investigating. In a press release, Task Force Commander George Filenko stated that his agency is chasing about 50 leads into the circumstances surrounding Howell's death and the investigation could take another week or two to wrap up.
Howell's family has compared the situation to that in South Carolina, where a man named Walter Scott died after being shot in the back by a police officer. That incident was caught on video and led to the officer being charged with murder.
"There is no difference between the murder in South Carolina and the murder of my grandson," said Alice Howell. "I am anxiously waiting for the conclusion of the investigation."
Lake County State's Attorney Mike Nerheim did not immediately return a call for comment.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2015. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
