16 honor student murdered in broad daylight

[EthanElephants]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/28/...ing/index.html


CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- One of the suspects accused of killing an honor student in a beating captured on tape in Chicago has admitted to jumping on the victim's head after he was already lying on the ground, said a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney.


Derrion Albert, 16, was beaten to death last week. His death was captured on video.

1 of 2 In the videotaped confession, 19-year-old Silvanus Shannon also said that the victim, Derrion Albert, 16, never struck him, said the spokeswoman, Tandra Simonton.

Three teens arrested in Albert's death -- Silvanus Shannon, 19; Eric Carson, 16; and Eugene Riley, 18 -- were seen on the videotape attacking Albert, and were charged with first degree murder and held without bail, Simonton said. Monday night authorities said they charged a fourth suspect, 17-year-old Eugene Bailey, with murder.

On Monday during the bond hearing, prosecutors described how the street fight escalated from a dispute between two factions at Albert's high school to a beating that left the honor student dead.

Prosecutors said Albert was an "innocent bystander" who ended up in the middle of a street fight between two factions of students at his school, Christian Fenger Academy High school, on Chicago's South Side.

When school let out at 2:50 p.m. on Thursday, Albert was on his way to the bus stop when two groups of students converged on the street, Simonton said.

The two factions, one that lived near the Altgeld Gardens housing development and one in an area known as "The Ville," began fighting after a shooting earlier that day that police called gang-related.

Albert was approached by Eric Carson and another unknown person, both members of the "The Ville" faction, Simonton said. Carson struck Albert in the head with a piece of a wooden railroad tie, and the second person punched him in the face, Simonton said.

Albert was knocked unconscious by the blows for a short period, Simonton said, but gained consciousness and quickly tried to move from the escalating street fight.

"He gained consciousness and moved a few feet away, but as he was trying to get up, he was attacked by a second group," Simonton said.

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That group, made up of five members from the opposing faction, then took their shots at Albert, Simonton said.

He was struck in the head by Riley with the piece of railroad tie, a rectangular piece of wood used as a base for railroad tracks, Simonton said.

Once Albert was on the ground again, Shannon was seen "stomping on his head repeatedly," Simonton said.

An amateur videotape shot by a witness, which has been broadcast nationally, showed the attack unfolding. A local TV station that received the tape turned it over to police. Watch graphic video of the attack »

The video shows that, as the attackers ran away, the person with the camera and several others approached Albert and carried him into a nearby building.

"Derrion, get up!" a female voice pleads on the video.

Albert was taken to Roseland Community Hospital and then to Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Simonton said.

Shannon and Riley do not have criminal records. Carson is on probation for a 2008 robbery conviction, according to Simonton.

On Monday, family and friends, some wearing shirts bearing Albert's photo, held a vigil in his honor.

Albert's grandfather, Joseph Walker, told CNN affiliate WLS-TV that his grandson was a good kid who didn't deserve to die.

"He was in Bible class this Tuesday night. Church on Sunday," Walker told WLS-TV. "I have no trouble out of my grandson whatsoever. This thing that happened to him is so horrific that we just don't know what we're going to do. We lost a really dear friend in my grandson. He was a blessed child."

Walker said the family was struggling to come to terms with why Albert was killed.

"I don't know where all this anger come from these people today," he told WLS-TV. "That's just too much anger for someone to have in their heart. All I can do is I'm going to pray for these people, I'm going to to pray for forgiveness." Rick Sanchez asks, "Are our young people salvageable?" »

Albert's aunt, Rose Braxton, told CNN affiliate WGN-TV that the family was hurt again when a memorial in Albert's honor was burned down.

"To go and burn a memorial after such tragedy, then that just speaks for itself to what kind of people they are," she told WGN-TV.

Family and friends asked the community to turn in anyone they knew who was a part of Albert's beating.

"What kind of person, what kind of individual, has such rage and such anger and such madness?" the Rev. Michael Pfleger said. "We've got to get to the hearts of our children, because nothing, nothing, excuses or justifies the actions of an individual who would beat another individual. Nothing justifies that in this society. "

Pfleger said it was time to make a change, so children aren't afraid to go to or from school.

He said this kind of teen violence was not just an issue for Chicago, but from "Oakland to Newark."

Ron Huberman, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, said he had met with Albert's classmates.

"How do we make sure this event doesn't become another event?" he said. "Another vigil on another day."

Huberman said he will fight every day to ensure the safety of children in Chicago's schools.

"We can promise them and we can say that we we will absolutely remember Derrion," he said.


Flanked by people holding signs with photos of a young child and the words "Don't shoot, I want to grow up," Pfleger pleaded for peace.

"It's time for guns, and it's time for two-by-fours to stop being the way we treat each other," he said.



i dont even have any words for this... only tears

[Dodie16]

It is very sad that this young man got caught up in something so stupid as gang violence. There was no need for such a thing to happen to him, since he was not a part of either group, just an innocent bystander. It saddens me that it escalated to such a high degree that he lost his life. I couldn't watch the video. It would be too awful...

My prayers are with the family and the community.

Going off topic for a second: I noticed that this was in intellectual discussion. Sorry, but I think this probably would be better off in gen. discussion. Unless there are people who want to discuss the morals of humanity and whatnot.

[Che]

How do you know he wasn't part of either group? People there obviously knew who he was. Just because the media used "honor student" doesn't mean he's just some innocent kid. Honor student doesn't mean shit. If I went out and stabbed a guy right now, they'd say "soccer player honor student stabs citizen" etc...

That being said, nobody deserves to die like that. It's just a sad world when things like this happen. Life is too short to have gang turf wars and simple feuds for no reason.

[EthanElephants]

How do you know he wasn't part of either group? People there obviously knew who he was. Just because the media used "honor student" doesn't mean he's just some innocent kid. Honor student doesn't mean shit. If I went out and stabbed a guy right now, they'd say "soccer player honor student stabs citizen" etc...

That being said, nobody deserves to die like that. It's just a sad world when things like this happen. Life is too short to have gang turf wars and simple feuds for no reason.

they knew who he was because they were all students attending the same school, he has no record of anything and never had any history of violence. he came in to try to stop the fight because one of his friends was involved and they just cracked down on him.

[Che]

they knew who he was because they were all students attending the same school, he has no record of anything and never had any history of violence. he came in to try to stop the fight because one of his friends was involved and they just cracked down on him.

Thus was involved in gang violence?

[Dodie16]

he came in to try to stop the fight because one of his friends was involved and they just cracked down on him.

I'm sorry. I must have missed that part. I read it again and I saw no mention of him trying to help his friend. From what I read, it seemed that he was just on his way to wait for the bus and then the two rival gangs just converged at that same location and he was caught in the middle. IF it's in the video, you can forget about me watching it. I'll just take your word for it.

he has no record of anything

Well, neither did these two.

Shannon and Riley do not have criminal records.

I am by no means defending them. I'm just pointing out that they don't have criminal records.

[EthanElephants]

ok that is true,but i think it would be highly unlikely that a thug would just sit there and take the beating. i dont think that any of this was his doing.

[Molly]

i am sad no one should die so young

when did this happen?

feel bad for the family

[Josh_R]

ok that is true,but i think it would be highly unlikely that a thug would just sit there and take the beating. i dont think that any of this was his doing.

I have seen thugs sit there and take ass beatings. When I lived in new Orleans people would often let people kick their asses. It is better than fighting back and running the risk of getting shot, or knifed.

I definitely feel sorry for his family, but I have to agree with Che we don't know that he wasn't a member of either groups. I have met many honor students that were gang bangers. Just cause your in a gang doesn't mean your book dumb.

It was never mentioned that one of the street fighters was his buddy. Only that he was a bystander.

No matter what I feel bad for his family, and all of his friends. I will have my fiance pray for his family.

[Taco-Calamitous]

The information we have from the story would indicate that he was not a part of either gang. Therefore I will assume that he wasn't, given the information I have been provided. Until I am provided information that proves otherwise.

It's really sad that this happened, and I wonder what was going through the minds of the people who burned his memorial. WTF? People really, really suck sometimes. My prayers for the kid, his family, the people who knew him... and the dumbasses who were involved in his death, that they can be reached somehow. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[final fantacy_tifa]

Thast sad :C I couldent read all of it cus it was to messed up

[Jin]

That's umm...sad...I guess.

Sometimes I forget this is the GC forum. Seeing serious topics like this throws me.

[Furore]

I have met many honor students that were gang bangers. Just cause your in a gang doesn't mean your book dumb.

This. Some drug cooks, people with legal expertise and a few other types are among the smarter people I've known (though obviously not smart enough to stay out of that shit in the first place).

I won't speculate on Albert's position in relation to the groups but it's terrible he was killed either way and I hope the authorities in his area step their efforts up a bit so his life wasn't completely wasted.

[Ryu-Kentoshii Hirokima]

That Is Just Not Right. I Feel Terrible, And I Give My Condolences To The Family. It Was Caught On Tape Too...That Is Just Messed Up.
I Feel That No One Should Die By The Hands Of Another, Especially If There Wasn't A Good Enough Reason To Do So In The First Place. That Just Sickens Me.
If Someone That I Loved Was Beaten To Death, Or Was Just Murdered By Someone For No Apparent Reason, I Would Be Devastated. Rest In Peace Derrion Albert, You Will Be Missed.