(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago police on Wednesday announced charges against two suspects in the weekend shooting death of an 8-year-old girl in Little Village.
Saturday’s killing of Melissa Ortega — in what is believed to be a gang-related ambush on 26th Street near Pulaski — inspired a wave of outrage in the Southwest Side community and across the city.
Melissa was with her mother around 3 p.m. when a gunman opened fire, fatally striking the 8-year-old girl twice in the head and wounding a gang member who was the intended target, police have said.
Charged with first-degree murder are an unidentified 16-year-old suspect, the alleged gunman; and a 27-year-old man, Xavier Guzman, who police say drove him to the shooting scene.
The teen is also charged with attempted murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm. The adult suspect also faces charges of attempted murder and unauthorized use of a weapon, Police Supt. David Brown said at a news conference with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
“Our city has been shaken and no one can make sense of this tragedy,” Brown said.
He said the case progressed quickly after police identified the vehicle used in the crime, through surveillance cameras and license plate readers. He credited the community with assisting authorities, too.
The teen accused of the killing has a juvenile criminal court record and will be tried in adult court, Foxx said.
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Both suspects are expected in bond court Thursday, she said.
In a statement presented at the news conference, the child’s mother said she has already forgiven the suspect and called him a victim, too.
“To the aggressor. I forgive you,” Araceli Leanos was quoted as saying. “You were a victim, too. As a 16-year-old, the community failed you, just like it failed my precious baby.”
Contributing: Sun-Times Media Wire
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