Chicago Police Supt. David Brown on Friday said charges have been brought against members of a West Side gang who’ve been selling drugs.
“There was a takedown of a significant gang that drives violence and sells narcotics,” Brown said at a press conference held at police headquarters.
Demetrius Rockamore, Kimberly White, Misty Mqueen and Antonio Williams were each charged with criminal conspiracy, the police chief said.
“This criminal conspiracy case seized 34 grams of heroin and two and a half grams of cocaine,” Brown said. “There was also an abandoned property that was shut down in the 100 block of South Albany that was being used for illicit activity.”
Chicago police could not provide further information Friday night.
Chief of Detectives Brenden Deenihan offered updates on two other cases, one involving a 4-year-old boy who was wounded in a shooting in Gresham and the other a 7-year-old girl who was kidnapped in South Shore Manor.
The boy was in good condition Thursday night after he suffered a wound to the head just after 10 p.m. in the 8200 block of South Green Street, police said. Family members brought the boy to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, then he was transferred to Comer Children’s Hospital where he was listed in good condition.
“[That shooting] was an accidental discharge that happened inside the residence,” Deenihan said. “It appears at this time it may be self-inflicted.”
The other case - which happened about 5:40 p.m. Thursday - a 23-year-old man was taken into custody, and the girl was taken to Comer’s Children’s Hospital, after the man was seen engaging in an “indecent act” on the second-floor balcony of an apartment in the 7600 block of South Coles Avenue.
“[The girl] was on a park bench with her two 13-year-old brothers who walked away for a moment, and there was an individual who came by and grabbed the child,” Deenihan said. “A concerned citizen say this and knew something was wrong, and immediately called police.”
Police took the man into custody. Police said they expect to file charges Saturday.
Brown also discussed the department’s carjacking task force, saying cases have been down most of the year but have spiked 3% in the past two weeks. He praised the efforts of officers to intervene, at times knocking on the doors of known carjackers and offering support and services.
“We had an 11-year-old who was a prolific carjacker, and we found this 11-year-old was out of school for two years, the mother had recently passed away, and the father was gravely ill,” Brown said.
Officers connected the boy to Chicago Public Schools, and CPS connected with their Choose to Change program, Brown said.
“Since the connection and services were made, this young person has not missed a day of school, and recently made the honor roll, and more importantly hasn’t committed any new carjackings,” Brown said. “That encourages all of us, and hopefully all of you, to get involved in the lives of young people who may be going through some things at home or at school, and need an adult to intervene, to change their behavior.”
