Man Charged in Shooting That Killed 7-Year-Old Chicago Girl

(WTTW News)(WTTW News)

CHICAGO (AP) — A man is charged in an August shooting that killed a 7-year-old Chicago girl and seriously wounded her younger sister.

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Police charged Aireon Luster, 24, on Wednesday with first-degree murder and attempted murder in the death of Serenity Broughton. He was ordered held without bond during a Thursday court hearing.

Authorities allege he was one of two gunmen who got of a car in an alley and opened fire as Serenity’s mother was putting the sisters into a parked car. Police have said a relative was the intended target, and prosecutors said in court documents that an uncle of the girls was in an ongoing dispute with Luster.

Officers collected more than two dozen shell casings, authorities said. Serenity was struck in the chest and died at a hospital. Her 6-year-old sister, Aubrey, was shot in the armpit and chest but recovered.

The girls’ grandmother, Regina Broughton, told the Chicago Sun-Times she was “elated” to hear someone had been charged.

“I feel like my family are one step closer to getting justice,” she said. “I feel like the justice system is working for us.”

In court documents, prosecutors said there was no video of the shooting itself but there was video showing Luster and another man getting out of a silver car nearby and that two witnesses identified Luster as one of the men. Prosecutors also said that records indicate that Luster owns a silver car.

Police are still looking for the second shooter and the driver of the getaway car.

“We’re still asking for the public’s help,” Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said. “We’re asking for more information because we believe that, you know, the public knows these other two individuals who are probably associated with Luster and are a part of it.”


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