The vigil for Nykea Aldridge, a cousin of National Basketball Association star Dwyane Wade, began shortly after police announced brothers Darwin Sorrells Jr. and Derren Sorrells were charged Sunday with first-degree murder in her death. Last year, the police department said it confiscated almost 7,000 illegal guns.
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“This tragedy isn’t just noteworthy because Miss Aldridge has a famous family member, it’s noteworthy because these two offenders are the prime example of the challenge we face here in Chicago with repeat gun offenders that don’t care who they shoot”, said Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson.
Two male suspects walked up and fired shots at a third man, according to Chicago Police.
Chicago has been in the throes of a major uptick in gun violence this year, largely centered in a few South and West Side neighborhoods, after years of seeing declines.
Johnson explained that 1,400 people on the city’s “Strategic Subject List” are to blame for most of the gun violence that has claimed more than 435 lives so far this year. In Chicago, police say they are trying to deal with the number of illegal guns on the city’s streets, targeting gang members with raids and beefing up community policing.
Jones said Aldridge and her family had recently moved to the neighborhood, and she was on her way back from registering her children for school when she was shot.
As for Darwin Sorrels, who police say was a co-conspirator in the crime, he was also on parole for a previous gun charge after being released in February three years into a six-year sentence.
In a case that has emerged as a talking point in the USA presidential race, Darwin Sorrells Jr, 26, and Derren Sorrells, 22, are facing charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder in the death of Nykea Aldridge, a 32-year-old mother of four, police said.
Two weeks to the day after he was paroled from prison, Derren Sorrell allegedly shot and killed Nykea Aldridge in Chicago.
This is not the first time one of Wade’s relatives has been a victim in a shooting. Wade tweeted about the senseless gun violence, the need for more help in the city of Chicago, and that kids are literally crying out for help.
Wade also tweeted Saturday morning: The city of Chicago is hurting. Already a highly-politicized issue, presidential candidate Donald Trump attempted to co-opt the slaying to push his agenda and curry favor among black voters, although it was a poorly-conceived attempt met with immediate backlash. Not for me and my family but for the future of our world.
“My condolences to Dwyane Wade and his family, on the loss of Nykea Aldridge”.
“I just brought out the teddy bears to represent, you know, the children, and their memories, and the love of their mom”, said Linda Taylor, who lives near the scene of the shooting.
Wade has reacted to his cousin’s shooting only online, tweeting Friday: “My cousin was killed today in Chicago. They are in my thoughts and prayers”, he posted.
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Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is sidestepping questions about the flow of guns into IL from his state as the US presidential campaign delves into the issue of Chicago violence. The AP quoted Chicago police as saying that a fifth of the guns used in Chicago crimes are from Indiana.
