Rylan Wilder and his mother, Lucia Morales. (Courtesy Vicky Rehberg / Cavanagh Law Group)
A trio of local bands will perform this weekend on the North Side to help raise money for a 15-year-old musician wounded last week during a confrontation between police and a bank robbery suspect.
Proceeds from the Saturday night concert at Martyr’s will be used to help cover the medical bills for Rylan Wilder, who was shot in his arm and abdomen while working as an intern at the UpBeat Music store in the Old Irving Park neighborhood.
“Tragedy has struck our good friend Rylan Wilder,” Martyr’s said in a post advertising the benefit show. “Although Rylan and his band, Monarchy Over Monday, will not be able to play their show at Martyrs’ this Saturday, Mock Nine, Friko, & Neptune’s Core will be performing.”
Wilder was shot on Nov. 19 by a Des Plaines police officer who was trailing an alleged bank robber who had fled into the UpBeat store. The officer shot and killed 32-year-old Christopher Willis, and also wounded Wilder, an innocent bystander.
This week, Wilder’s parents filed a lawsuit against Willis’ alleged accomplice Maurice Murphy. And on Tuesday a Cook County judge granted their request for an emergency order that will give them access to bodycam and dashcam footage of the shooting captured by Des Plaines and Chicago police officers.
Rylan Wilder performing with his band Monarchy Over Monday. (Courtesy Vicky Rehberg / Cavanagh Law Group)
Wilder attends Lane Tech High School and is the lead singer and guitarist of the band Monarchy Over Monday. In September, he became the youngest performer ever at the Riot Fest music festival. He remains hospitalized at Lurie Children’s Hospital, and his parents don’t know if he’ll ever be able to play guitar again.
A GoFundMe campaign titled “Help Rylan Play Music Again” has already raised more than $55,000 as of Friday morning.
Tickets for the Saturday concert are $10 and the show is open to all ages.
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431
Related stories:
Family of Teen Shot by Suburban Officer Files Suit Against Bank Robber
Police: Chicago Teen Hurt in Gunfire Likely Shot by Officer
Expungement Request Denied for Ex-CPD Detective Dante Servin in Rekia Boyd Case
Top Cop Eddie Johnson on Gun Violence, Police-Community Relations
