A 16-year-old has been charged as the second defendant in the 2024 Auburn Gresham mass shooting that left three people dead and a fourth wounded inside a South Side home. The arrest marks the latest turn in a case that has lingered over the neighborhood since the February 2024 killings.
Arrest and charges
Prosecutors have filed a lengthy set of charges against the newly identified teen, including three counts of first-degree murder, six additional murder-related counts, and one count each of armed robbery and attempted murder, according to CBS Chicago. Chicago police said they arrested the teen Wednesday morning with help from the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force in the 6700 block of South Loomis Boulevard.
The 2024 shooting
On Feb. 25, 2024, gunfire erupted inside a residence in the 8000 block of South Vincennes Avenue. Four people were shot. Three of them, 14-year-old Amere P. Deese, 20-year-old Ladeverett West-Ringgold, and 36-year-old Randy Graham, did not survive, while a 16-year-old was wounded, according to reporting by WTTW. Authorities have said the victims were friends who frequently gathered at the home.
How prosecutors say it unfolded
Cook County prosecutors allege the group inside the home had been handling a rifle that was later left on the floor behind a television. One of the alleged shooters then returned to the room with a 9mm handgun equipped with an extended magazine shortly before the shooting began, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Antonio Velasco, who was arrested and charged in March 2024 in connection with the case, was prosecuted as an adult. Prosecutors and police have not publicly detailed what specific role the newly charged 16-year-old is alleged to have played, according to CBS Chicago.
Legal process
The charges now pending are among the most serious available in Cook County. Under state statutes, a first-degree murder conviction can carry a sentence of up to natural life in prison. How this case moves forward will be determined by filings and hearings in Cook County court.
Community impact
Families and neighbors have remained in mourning since the February 2024 shooting, describing the victims as close-knit and their deaths as shattering, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Detectives say the investigation is still active as prosecutors continue to build the case and law enforcement works to identify any additional people of interest.
The newly charged teen is expected to appear in court under standard Cook County procedures. Authorities have not yet released further details about the arraignment or upcoming court dates, and police and prosecutors declined to elaborate beyond what was included in the charging documents and arrest announcement.
