Second Teen Charged With Murdering Roseland Girl
CHICAGO (STMW) - A second person has been charged for an August shooting that left a 9-year-old Roseland girl and her young cousin wounded, police said.
Marcus Cocroft, 16, of the 200 block West 109th Place, was charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, according to a police statement. Cocroft is scheduled to appear in Central Bond Court (Br. 1) later Saturday.
Cocroft is accused of fatally shooting 9-year-old Tanaja Stokes and her 7-year-old cousin about 7:55 p.m. Aug. 10 in the 10700 block of South Indiana Avenue.
Tanaja and her 7-year-old cousin - identified by family members as Ariana Jones - were hit by stray bullets after two men on bicycles fired shots and fled, a police source said.
Roseland resident Patricia Clay, 37, said the incident started when two teenage girls and a teen boy were arguing at East 107th Street and South Indiana Avenue. The argument escalated and about 20 teens were "yelling, screaming and calling each other names."
The two girls and four others then left in a white car. About five minutes later, at least one of the girls and others in the group were standing in front of 10716 S. Indiana Ave. when two boys on bikes rode past and opened fire - striking the children, Clay said.
Neighborhood resident Yolanda White said everybody ran when the gunfire started.
Steshawn Brisco, 18, of the 200 block of West 110th Street, was charged in August with first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm, Cook County State's Attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton said. He was ordered held without bond.
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