Amya Vanwinkle, 23, of DeKalb, was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree attempted murder in a Chicago Austin neighborhood shooting from May 2023, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The arrest brings a new court proceeding in a case more than three years old, but the report does not explain what investigative steps led to it.
What the timeline does—and does not—show
Police say the shooting happened about 1 a.m. on May 16, 2023, in the 4900 block of West Ohio Street. They accuse Vanwinkle of shooting a 43-year-old victim in the back. The victim was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition, the Sun-Times reported. The victim’s name and current condition have not been reported.
The time between the shooting and arrest does not, by itself, show whether the investigation was suspended or continuously active. A 2025 Chicago Sun-Times analysis of department records found that at least 80% of nonfatal shooting investigations are suspended each year, meaning assigned officers are no longer actively investigating them; slightly fewer than half are suspended within 30 days. Those department-wide figures do not establish the status or history of Vanwinkle’s case.
Next court appearance
Vanwinkle is scheduled to appear in court Friday, according to the Sun-Times. The report does not provide details about her attorney, plea or bond status, or disclose any connection between her and the victim.
