Melissa Ortega, 8, Is One Of At Least 5 Young People Under 18 Shot And Killed In Chicago In January
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Charges were announced Wednesday in the shooting that killed 8-year-old Melissa Ortega in Little Village over the weekend.
A 16-year-old, along with a 26-year-old man, are charged in Melissa's shooting death at 26th Street Pulaski Road on Saturday. Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said the teen was "charged with one felony count of first degree murder and felony count of attempted first degree murder and two felony counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm in occupied vehicle."
At least four other young people under the age of 18 were shot and killed in Chicago this month alone.
• On Sunday, Jan. 2, around 11:25 p.m., Marcell Wilson, 12, was shot and killed in the 5500 block of South Aberdeen Street in Englewood. Police said Marcell was sitting on a bed in the rear bedroom of a home with several other people in the when a man fired a gun, striking the boy in the chest.
• Also on Wednesday, Jan. 12, at 8:22 p.m., James Sweezer, 14, was shot and killed in the 1400 block of West 73rd Street in Englewood. He was standing on the sidewalk when a dark-colored vehicle went by and someone inside fired shots.
• On Wednesday, Jan. 12, at 3:52 p.m., Javion Ivy, 14, was shot and killed in the 2200 block of West Adams Street on the Near West Side. He was standing on the street when he was shot in the abdomen, police said.
• On Tuesday, Jan. 18 at 1:15 p.m., Caleb Westbrook, 15, was shot and killed in the 800 block of North Greenview Avenue in West Town. The Rauner College Prep student was one of six young people shot in one day.
No one has been arrested or charged in any of these four earlier homicides.