A teen has been arrested in New York in connection to the fatal shooting of a high school student in Cicero, Illinois, authorities confirmed. The 17-year-old suspect, whose name is not being released due to their age, is facing charges of first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm following the death of Johan Adaree-Sanchez, a student from Morton East High School.
The alleged incident, which took place near the high school on January 8, resulted in Adaree-Sanchez suffering a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. According to CBS Chicago, the Cicero police responded to a shooting at around 3:20 p.m. and the victim was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A large altercation between "two rival groups of teenagers" precipitated the shooting, Cicero officials said, and the suspect disposed of the gun in a nearby yard, which police have since recovered.
The suspect was taken into custody by Amtrak police after Cicero detectives discovered he had bought a ticket to return to Chicago from New York. NBC Chicago reports that the arrest occurred on Thursday, with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office having already approved the arrest warrant.
In the wake of the incident, school officials from Morton East High School urged the public to be discerning with information shared on social media. "We are aware that there are many reports circulating on social media that are inaccurate. We ask that everyone please refrain from sharing unverified information at this time and rely only on official updates," the school expressed in a statement. The focus of the school administration remains on providing support to Johan’s classmates and the broader school community in the face of this tragedy.
The suspect is currently awaiting extradition to Illinois. Details regarding how the suspect made their way to New York initially remained unclear. However, the collaborative efforts of Cicero detectives and Amtrak police enabled authorities to apprehend the suspect before he could board the return train to Chicago. The investigation into the shooting continues, and Cicero officials have not shared further insights as of yet.
