Stories by Matt Masterson

Chicago police announced the student has been charged with felony counts of unlawful use of a weapon and threat to a school building. He was also cited for possessing a high capacity magazine and metal piercing bullets.

Jamel Danzy, 40, pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiring to straw purchase the semi-automatic handgun that was used to kill Ella French and critically wound her partner Officer Carlos Yanez in August 2021.

Prosecutors said William Kohles was upset over crime rates in Chicago when he allegedly wrote a threatening message to Mayor Lori Lightfoot in which he claimed he would shoot the mayor. 

Jay Bollyn, 69, was arrested on hate crime charges and ordered held on a $100,000 D-bond during a court hearing Tuesday. He must post $10,000 to be released from custody.

The Chicago Police Department on Monday evening issued a community alert notifying residents on the city’s North and West sides after at least 50 armed robberies have been carried out between Dec. 7 and Dec. 10.

Edwin Lagunas, 18, has been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and an additional count of aggravated battery with a firearm stemming from the Nov. 20 shooting that left Ruby Navarrete and Lynner Hawkins dead.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 20 people were shot in 17 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. That included a triple homicide following a fight at a bar in the 5500 block of West School Street.

Cook County prosecutors are enacting new changes to an existing search warrant policy this month, with an aim at improving communication and accountability while eliminating mistaken raids at incorrect locations.

Bryon Ortega, 19, was charged this week with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, criminal sexual assault and two child pornography-related charges after he allegedly abused two high school students.

“Everything I have in my life I owe to public education,” Sendhil Revuluri said during the meeting. “Our city, our students, our educators all need and deserve a board that listens to the community, focuses on student outcomes, sets clear goals to drive our progress and then holds one another and our district accountable for that progress.”

Chicago police are seeking the community’s help after a 15-year-old boy was fatally shot outside Michele Clark Magnet High School Tuesday afternoon.

Corrie Singleton, 21, and Darrell Singleton, 18, both of South Holland, Illinois, have been charged in federal court in Chicago with robbery, bank larceny by assault and other firearm offenses.

Ayanna Nesbitt, 50, of Chicago, was indicted last week in federal court on five counts of wire fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Monday, after she allegedly stole money that was intended to be provided to CTA retirees or their beneficiaries.

According to Chicago Police Department data, at least 17 people were shot in 13 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. That included a pair of double homicides.

Chicago police and firefighters swarmed City Hall for several hours Friday during a training that aimed to “enhance preparedness and strengthen capabilities” across city departments “during and following an active threat or terrorism.”

Cory Patterson, 33, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder, four counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer and one count of misdemeanor battery. A Cook County judge issued him a $2 million D-bond Thursday, meaning he must pay $200,000 to be released from jail.

James McNamara, 61, was charged in federal court in Washington D.C. this week with felony counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement officers and interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, as well as five other misdemeanor charges.

Through the end of November, 3,258 people have been shot in the city, according to monthly crime stats from the Chicago Police Department. Of those victims, 637 people were killed.

Mustafaa Saleh, 36, was charged through a criminal information in federal court in Chicago on Tuesday with a single count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Cook County prosecutors alleged Malik Parish, 22, Abdul Ali, 20, and a third unknown man were firing shots at rival gang members on the evening of March 1 when an errant bullet struck Nyzireya Moore as she sat inside her mother’s vehicle.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 31 people were shot in 24 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday, including two dead and two others injured at a far South Side gathering early Saturday.

Kendall Sprouts, 18, was charged Wednesday with reckless homicide involving a motor vehicle and aggravated reckless driving following the Sunday evening crash that left 22-year-old Keyshawn Javon Gray dead.

According to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Cook County Judge Joseph Claps issued the verdict Tuesday in the bench trial of Officer Melvina Bogard, who was charged last year with the nonfatal shooting of Ariel Roman inside the Grand Red Line station.

According to Chicago police, 20 people were shot in 15 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala, appointed in 2019, announced that she’ll retire at the end of January.

Thomas Osadzinski, 23, was convicted following a two-week trial of attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization. On Thursday, a federal judge in Chicago sentenced him to 90 months in prison.