Teenager charged in ‘senseless’ fatal shooting of 7-year-old boy in Chicago: police

A teenager is now facing murder charges after a 7-year-old boy was fatally shot in the chest in a random act of gun violence in Chicago, police said Friday.

The victim, Jai’mani Amir Rivera, had just left his apartment Tuesday afternoon and was standing on the sidewalk when shots were fired, police said. Officers rendered aid and then took him in their patrol car to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

A 16-year-old suspect has now been charged with four counts in connection with the shooting, including premeditated murder and premeditated murder by personally discharging a firearm that caused the victim’s death, Chicago Police Commissioner Larry Snelling said Friday.

Police have not released the suspect’s name because he is a minor. He was taken into custody Thursday, less than 48 hours after the shooting, Snelling said.

Detectives “did an outstanding job of bringing this violent offender to justice and getting him off the streets so he can’t destroy another family,” Snelling said during a news conference.

According to Chicago Police Chief Antoinette Ursitti, police were able to document the suspect’s movements before and after the shooting through video footage and with help from the public. An anonymous tip helped identify the teenager, who is believed to be the only perpetrator, she said.

During the investigation, 13 rifle cartridges were seized, Ursitti said. The firearm was not found, but police assume it was an assault rifle, she said.

The reason for the shooting is unclear, but Jai’mani was not the intended target, Ursitti said.

“We all understand that this is senseless and that’s why it’s senseless – we can’t give you a confirmed motive as to why this happened,” she said during the press conference. “There’s no justification or explanation that would make it any better. But that’s the senselessness we’re talking about.”

There is an arrest warrant against the suspect for failure to appear in court in connection with another arrest, police said.

Chicago police and the U.S. Marshals’ Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force were able to locate the teenager at his Chicago apartment, where he was arrested Thursday afternoon, Snelling said.

A stolen weapon was seized at the scene of the arrest and was not related to the arrest, police said.

A hearing in the juvenile detention center is scheduled for Saturday.