A tragic burst of gun violence shocked Cicero on Tuesday night, leaving two women dead and an infant hospitalized with a gunshot wound. The alleged gunman was found deceased on Wednesday, suspected of taking his own life after the shooting spree.
The two victims, identified as Myeshia Newby, 19, and Jessica Hughes, 29, were discovered by police responding to a report of gunfire in the residence located on the 1800 block of South 48th Court. Despite desperate attempts to save them, both victims succumbed to their injuries at Mt. Sinai Hospital, as reported by ABC7 Chicago. During the chaos, a baby, later identified to be the son of Newby and suspect Rafael Vega, 21, was initially thought to be unharmed but was subsequently rushed to a hospital in critical condition after his condition deteriorated.
Cicero Police Superintendent Thomas Boyle shared during a press conference that the infant had stabilized by Wednesday afternoon. The Chicago Fire Department, which transported the child, earlier confirmed the critical nature of the baby's injuries. The tragedy unfolded over a domestic dispute involving a Link card used for purchasing food supplies, with a family argument escalating to fatal violence, as detailed by the Chicago Tribune.
The tension reportedly began when Newby asked to borrow Vega's Link card to buy milk and supplies for their child. Vega, according to Mitchell Benton, Hughes' father and Newby's great-grandfather, claimed he didn't have the card with him, which led to the fatal argument. "By the time I went through the door, my daughter fell on my feet, and she was holding the baby," Benton told the Chicago Tribune in a recount of the devastating incident.
Vega, who was later discovered dead in a nearby park, was linked to the crimes by Cicero police. They're currently investigating to fully understand how these events are connected, with Boyle adding, "From all appearances, they appear to be related." Before the shooting, Vega had encountered legal troubles, facing charges for previous weapon-related offenses.
