CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago police announced charges in the death of 7-year-old Akeem Briscoe inside his Humboldt Park home killed by a stray bullet
CPD Supt. David Brown said a 16-year-old boy is charged with murder in Akeem’s death. Police said he was 15 at the time of the shooting and is being charged as a juvenile.
Akeem was shot in the stomach by a stray bullet the night of October 26 as he was inside his Humboldt Park home washing his hands and getting ready for bed.
Police said that stray bullet pierced a window of the boy’s home after gunfire erupted in the alley in the 2600-block of West Potomac Avenue. No one from those two groups were injured but the bullet went into Akeem’s home, striking and killing him.
“A separate group from the alley, they were targeting this group that was in a car in the alley,” said CPD Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan. “They shoot at that group, obviously the bullet misses that group. There was nobody struck in that group, and the bullet goes through the window, striking the 7-year-old.”
Police said two adults have also been taken into custody in relation to the case and police are pursuing charges against them as well. CPD said the teen boy did not fire the shots that killed Akeem, but was in possession of the gun and handed it to one of the adults, who fired the fatal shot.
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Police said a family member told them the boy was in the bathroom when a bullet came through the window and struck him. Police said they do not believe anyone inside the residence was an intended target of the shooting.
Akeem was shot in front of his mother and two siblings. They had just buried his father the previous weekend, who had died from a medical condition.
A reward of up to $15,000 was been offered for information in the case. Investigators are working the case which has drawn the attention of the mayor.
“This didn’t happen in a vacuum,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. “There are people out there right now that within the sound of my voice who know exactly what happened. You must come forward.”
Newberry Math and Science Academy’s principal said this loss is sure to raise a lot of emotions and questions for the entire school. School officials said grief counselors will be available Friday.
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