UPDATE: 2 Charged In Teen Girl's Accidental Shooting Death
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two people have been charged in an "accidental" shooting that killed a 16-year-old Amundsen High School cheerleader Sunday evening in the West Lawndale neighborhood on the South Side, police said.
Joshua Baker, 19, who lives in the same block as the shooting, was charged with one felony count of obstruction of justice for destroying evidence from the shooting, according to Chicago Police. It was unclear what evidence Baker was accused of destroying.
The second person, a 16-year-old girl whose identity was not released, was charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter, police said.
Eshunte Mayfield was shot at 6:57 p.m. when the 16-year-old girl, who police said was Mayfield's "acquaintance," was handling a gun inside an apartment in the 6600 block of South Marquette, and it accidentally discharged, according to police.
Mayfield was struck in the eye and pronounced dead at the scene less than 30 minutes later. The Cook County medical examiner's office initially identified the victim as Eshani Mayfield, but the school's website listed her as Eshunte.
The acquaintance who was handling the gun when it fired was immediately taken into custody, police said.
Baker was inside the house at the time of the shooting and turned himself in at the Wentworth Police District Headquarters about 10:10 p.m., police said.
Baker and the 16-year-old girl were both scheduled to appear in bond court at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
In a note to students, staff and parents of Amundsen, principal Anna Pavichevich wrote: "It is with deep sadness that we inform you about a recent loss to our school community. Eshunte Mayfield passed away last night. Our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time."
The Chicago Public Schools' Crisis Management Unit was at Amundsen on Monday "to provide grief counseling and support to students and staff members. These individuals will be in the building over the next several days to assist our school community," Pavichevich wrote.
Mayfield lived in the Uptown neighborhood on the North Side.
An autopsy Monday found she died of a gunshot wound to the head, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office.
A source said four teens were in the apartment at the time, two boys and two girls.
Area Central detectives are investigating the shooting.
"We are saddened by this loss and will do everything we can to help …," Pavichevich wrote.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire copy; Chicago Sun-Times 2017. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
