Fifteen-year-old Cicero boy Miguel Villalba was shot and killed after an argument escalated into full-blown violence, the Chicago Tribune reported.
He and his 16-year-old sister (who was not named in the article) were near Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School with some other friends Sunday evening when they were approached by suspected gang members. Witnesses told officers and reporters that the two groups exchanged words, followed by a few thrown bricks.
As the clash escalated, one of the members of the second group left and returned with a gun. Several shots were fired and Miguel Villalba took a bullet to the head; he was pronounced dead at Loretto Hospital at 8:57 p.m. that evening.
Miguel Villalba's uncle, Miguel Lozano, told reporters that the boy's sister held him in her arms as he was dying:
"After you see something happen to your brother, hold your brother in your arms and see the light go out of him... obviously it takes time."
Tragically, Miguel Villalba attended one meeting with the anti-violence group Ceasefire, which tries to steer youth away from gang activity, Ceasefire representative Ismael Vargas said. The teenager had been pulled from Morton High School and placed in an alternative school.
Although Ismael Vargas described Miguel Villalba as a good kid who was respected and liked by his peers, he said he didn't seem interested in Ceasefire and had been getting more involved with gangs:
"There are a lot of opportunities for young people in the community but it's up to them to make a change. We'll tell them our personal stories, and try to influence them the best we can but they have to choose to change."
An article in the Chicago Sun-Times reported that he was an active member of Ceasefire and heavily involved in fighting against street gang violence; but it's not clear if that indeed was the case.
Police were still looking for leads as of Monday.
Related Resources:
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Crime Victim Resources (FindLaw)
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Criminal Prosecutors Push for Tougher Gang Laws (FindLaw's Blotter Blog)
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Contact a Chicago Criminal Attorney (FindLaw)
