A 14-year-old boy was shot to death Sunday afternoon in the Austin neighborhood.

Marcus McCarty was in the 1100 block of North Leclaire Avenue when two males approached and one shot him in the back at 2:52 p.m., authorities said.

After the shooting, the pair got into a dark Infiniti and drove away, police said.

McCarty, of the 1000 block of North Leclaire Avenue, died about an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Twelve people were killed in shootings throughout Chicago last week.

Five of the killings happened over the weekend, when 42 other people were wounded by gunfire, authorities said.

Overall, three of the 12 victims were boys 14 years old or younger.

The most recent murder happened when 14-year-old Marcus McCarty was shot in the 1100 block of North Leclaire Avenue in the Austin community at 2:52 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

McCarty, of the 1000 block of North Leclaire Avenue, died about an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the Little Village community, 16-year-old Victor Martinon was shot while talking with friends in the 2200 block of South Marshall Boulevard about 6 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Martinon, of the 2300 block of South Trumbull Avenue, was struck twice in the chest and died at Mount Sinai Hospital about 30 minutes later, authorities said.

In the Back of the Yards neighborhood, 40-year-old Quentin Graham, of the 700 block of West 50th Place, was fatally shot in the 800 block of West 50th Place about 2:45 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

In the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, 30-year-old James McCoy was shot inside a lounge in the 8300 block of South Halsted Street, authorities said.

McCoy, 30, from downstate Peoria, was shot in the chest and died about an hour later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said. Three other men were wounded in the shooting, police said.

In the Austin neighborhood, 33-year-old Andre Byrd, of the 200 block of North Kolin Avenue, was killed when gunfire erupted at a backyard party in the 5000 block of West Potomac Avenue about 2 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. Two other men, 35 and 36, were also wounded in the shooting, police said.

On Thursday, 52-year-old Michael Clark, of the 7200 block of South Paulina Street, was fatally shot in the 7200 block of South Winchester Avenue in the West Englewood neighborhood about 11:25 p.m. Thursday, authorities said. A 23-year-old man was also wounded in the shooting, police said.

In the Riverdale community, 21-year-old Jadon Johnson was shot while sitting in a parked vehile in the 13300 block of South Indiana Avenue about 12:10 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

A relative drove Johnson, of the 700 block of East 89th Place, to Roseland Community Hospital, where he died a short time later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Wednesday, 9-year-old Antonio Smith was shot in the back yard of an apartment building in the 1200 block of East 71st Street in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood about 4:05 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Antonio had ran out of his family’s apartment in the 1100 block of East 73rd Street after being told he couldn't have a cupcake, his mother said.

On Tuesday, 19-year-old Dorval Jenkins was shot in the 9900 block of South Calhoun Avenue in the South Deering community when the gunfire erupted about 10:15 p.m., authorities said.

Jenkins, of the 9700 block of South Calhoun Avenue, was shot multiple times and died at Christ Medical Center about an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office. An 18-year-old man was also shot in the arm and a 17-year-old girl was shot in the leg, police said.

In Bridgeport, 84-year-old Chen Su allegedly fatally shot his wife Hsin Su, 84, during what police called a “domestic-related murder-suicide” in the 900 block of West 31st Place about 9 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

On Monday, police found 27-year-old Seadl Commings shot in the street in the 800 block of South Central Park Avenue about 11:35 p.m., authorities said.

Commings, of the 3600 block of West Polk Street, was shot in the chest and died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The slayings started when 20-year-old Joel Wade, of the 7300 block of South Emerald Avenue, was killed in a drive-by shooting while standing on a sidewalk in the 7800 block of South Winchester Avenue about 10:25 p.m. Monday, authorities said. A 26-year-old man and a teenage boy were also wounded.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 270 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 11 people killed by police.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different, have ruled some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Bianca Young / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Three people leaning against a car outside a trendy River North nightclub sparked a dispute that left one of the men dead and another seriously wounded this month, prosecutors said.

Javon Almond, Deandre Hughes, Bianca Young and fourth person left the Bodi nightclub about 3:50 a.m. Aug. 3 and found Martrell Ross and two acquaintances leaning against the group's white car in the 800 block of North Orleans Street, said Assistant State's Attorney Robert Mack.

The nightclub had hosted a Lollapalooza after-party for rapper Nas, authorities said.

Young, 23, initiated an argument between the two groups that escalated into a fight and Ross, 32, got punched and knocked into the middle of the street, Mack said.

Almond, 17, Young and their still uncharged acquaintance fled in the car, but Hughes, 19, continued to taunt the rival group, Mack said.

The car came back to pick up Hughes, but instead of getting inside he opened the back door and remained there for a moment. Almond, Hughes and the acquaintance then go out of the car with guns and chased Ross into a nearby alley, Mack said.

The acquaintance shot Ross until he fell to the ground, Mack said. Almond then went up to the Ross as he lay in the alley and shot him numerous times, Mack said.

Ross, of the 300 block of South Mozart Street, was shot eight times and died at the scene, authorities said.

Ross' 21-year-old acquaintance ran to help, but Hughes hit him from behind then shot him the back, side, forearm and foot, Mack said.

After the shootings, Young drove the car to a nearby Circle K gas station, where she picked up the three attackers, Mack said.

Martrell Ross / Photo from Facebook

Ross' uncle, Curits Gross Sr., said his nephew enjoyed rap music and dancing. Court records indicate Ross was sentenced to 10 years in prison for a 2000 attempted murder conviction and six years in prison for a 2007 drug conspiracy conviction.

The argument and fight were recorded on the club's surveillance camera, Mack said. Police also recovered a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun with Almond's palm print, he added.

The surviving victim identified Hughes in a photo array as the person who shot him and identified Young as being the woman who started the argument, Mack said. A witness also identified all three in a physical lineup.

All three were arrested Saturday, authorities said. Hughes and Young, of the 100 block of North Laporte Avenue, were each charged with murder and attempted murder, police said. Almond, of the 4000 block of West Maypole Avenue, was just charged with murder, authorities said.

Almond admitted guilt to two separate drug charges as a juvenile, Mack said. He lives with his parents and is a student at Manley Career Academy High School, according to a public defender.

Hughes was convinced of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in 2013 and was sentenced to one year in prison, Mack said. Hughes lives with his uncle and cares for his younger brother while working towards getting his GED, the public defender said.

Deandre Hughes / Photo from Chicago Police

Young was wanted on a warrant for a pending 2008 retail theft charge in the north suburbs, Mack said. Young attended Sullivan High School through sophomore year and is currently working for a temp agency while trying to get her GED, said the public defender.

Young has one child and lives with her 82-year-old grandfather, who she cares for, the public defender said.

On Monday, Judge Peggy Chiampas denied bond for Almond and Hughes, and ordered Young $1M bond for the murder and raised her bond on an unrelated retail theft case.

All three will be back in court Sept. 12.

-- Contributing: Brian Slodysko

Joseph Lewis was killed in a Back of the Yards shooting that also left a teenage boy critically injured early Monday.

Lewis, 23, and the 17-year-old boy were shot in the 5400 block of South Winchester Avenue just before 9 a.m., authorities said.

Lewis, of the 3500 block of West 60th Place, died less than an hour later at Holy Cross Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The teenager was taken in critical condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, police said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Antonio Smith / Family photo

BY JON SEIDEL
Chicago Sun-Times

Funeral arrangements have been set for a 9-year-old boy found fatally shot last week in the Grand Crossing neighborhood.

Chicago Police found Antonio Smith, who had been shot multiple times, behind a home Wednesday in the 1200 block of East 71st Street. He was later pronounced dead at University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Smith’s visitation has been set for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Calahan Funeral Home at 7030 S. Halsted St. Another visitation has also been scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, to be followed by his funeral at 11 a.m. Saturday at Evening Star Baptist Church at 2050 W. 59th St.

No suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the boy’s death, according to Chicago Police.

The Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Parish, announced a reward last week for information leading to the arrest of the boy’s killer; donations have pushed the total reward $13,500.

Michael Clark, 52, was fatally shot last Thursday in the West Englewood neighborhood. Reader "disqus_HYbta5ONgj" posted this about him:

I grew up w/this guy...he was a real decent brother, TOTALLY SENSELESS !

Arthur Shanklin was shot to death in the Englewood neighborhood early Tuesday.

Shanklin, 32, was shot in the chest in the 6700 block of South Parnell Avenue about 1:20 a.m., authorities said.

Witnesses told officers they heard arguing then gunshots, police said.

Shanklin, of 1000 block of East 76th Street, died at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy determined he died from multiple gunshot wounds and the death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The gunman ran away after the shooting, police said. Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Joseph Lewis was fatally shot early Monday in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Reader "Gangster C-4" posted this about him:

THUG, I WATCHED U GROW UP BRO. I"VE KNOW U AND YOUR FAMILY SINCE 1993. ME AND GEEZY WAS 7. AND U WERE STILL IN THE STROLLER, LOL! AND IT"S BEEN A GREAT JOURNEY WITH U. IT'S STILL HARD TO BELIEVE THAT OVER 24 HOURS AGO, SOMEBODY TOOK U FROM US. BUT, U KNOW THAT KARMA COMES RIGHT BACK AROUND. AND SOMETIMES WORST!!!! GOD BLESS U AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY. WATCH DOWN WITH GOD AND KEEP US GOIN" THE RIGHT WAY. I LOVE U LIL" BRO. SAVE ME A SPOT IN HOYNE STREET HEAVEN AND I"LL SEE U WHEN I GET THERE. HOYNE AVENUE INSANE TO THE MEMBRANE!!! REST IN PARADISE JOSEPH "THUG" LEWIS FREE MIKKE GEEZY

Antonio Hobson was killed in a drive-by shooting in the North Lawndale neighborhood Wednesday night.

Hobson, 34, was sitting in a garage in the 1800 block of South Fairfield Avenue when a car drove past and someone inside opened fire about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Hobson, of the 1600 block of South Komensky Avenue, was shot multiple times and died at Mount Sinai Hospital about two hours later, authorities said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

Walter Neely was fatally shot Aug. 15 in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Reader "holmesmmd" posted this about the slaying:

RIP Walter. He sounded like a good man. I live right in front of where he was shot and I can confirm that he was never transported to a hospital. Why they let a man lay dead in the street for 3 plus hours is beyond me?! Mercy hospital is 5 blocks up the street?! Sounds like another senseless tragedy committed in front of a sea of witnesses and cameras. No suspects?! WTF? Is it that easy to blow someone away in this city without ever getting caught?! The cops can sure write parking tickets and moving violation tickets though, huh? What a joke:(

BY JORDAN OWEN
Sun-Times Media

A caretaker was stabbed to death in the Albany Park neighborhood Wednesday morning.

Erenbira Pimentel-Hernandez, 38, was stabbed multiple times in a stairwell in the 4700 block of North Lawndale Avenue about 8:20 a.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Minutes earlier, a witness saw Hernandez talking to a man in a rear parking lot, according to a police report. The two then walked into the stairwell and closed the door.

The witness heard Hernandez scream and saw the man leave the stairwell and walk to parked pickup truck. He told the witness, “You tell police, I’ll get you next,” according to the report.

Hernandez, of the 5000 block of West Grand Avenue, was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she died at 12:40 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy confirmed she died of multiple stab wounds and the death was ruled a homicide.

Hernandez was a caretaker for a senior who lived on the block, according to the report.

Police called the attack domestic related.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

David Radford / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

A second man has been charged with murder for the July shooting death of William Allen in the South Chicago neighborhood.

Allen was talking with a 19-year-old woman and 47-year-old man on a porch near East 80th Street and South Muskegon Avenue when David Radford and Deonta Noble approached and asked Allen about his gang affiliation about 11:20 p.m. July 6, authorities said.

Radford accused Allen of being affiliated with the Mafia gang, and Radford and Noble opened fire on Allen and the woman, said Assistant State’s Attorney Beth Novy.

Allen, 25, of the 3500 block of South State Street, was shot in the head and hand and died the next day at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Allen, who had a twin brother, worked two jobs to help support his daughter, according to a Giveforward.com page.

The man and woman were also wounded, but survived, police said.

Witnesses identified both Radford and Noble, and provided police with photos from their Facebook pages, Novy said. They later identified both alleged shooters in a lineup.

William Allen / Photo from Facebook

Radford, 21, was charged with first-degree murder this week and Judge Peggy Chiampas ordered him held without bond during a Friday hearing where his mother left the courtroom sobbing.

Radford’s attorney said he works for a packing company.

Noble, 17, of the 7500 block of South Phillips Avenue, was charged with murder in July and is currently being held without bond. He had previously been convicted of residential burglary in 2009 and criminal trespass to a vehicle in 2008.

-- Contributing: Rummana Hussain

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

When the weather is nice, Ehrick Harper likes to sit outside of the Chatham Great Choice apparel store where he works.

Harper, 38, knows the store is on a particularly violent stretch of East 79th Street, but says he makes the two-hour commute from the West Side because he needs work.

“I have to feel safe — it’s my job,” Harper says with a smile as he glances over his right shoulder at his co-worker.

The store closes at 7 p.m., and residents say the bustling commercial strip near Cottage Grove changes for the worse at night, just in time for Harper’s bus trip home.

“You put too many people in a [bad] situation and it reaches a boiling point,” Harper said. “When there is no economic structure for people, they tend to stray or they try and make something out of nothing. That means violence, or whatever they need to do to get it cracking, as they say on 79th.”

Ehrick Harper / Photo by Emily Brosious

The store is in the middle of 2 1/2-mile stretch that divides the Avalon Park, Chatham, Greater Grand Crossing, South Chicago and South Shore communities.

The stretch has had nine homicides since the start of 2013. Two other 79th Street slayings in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood make it the street with the most killings since the start of 2013, according to data from the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

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Robert Tracy, Chicago Police chief of crime control strategies, noted that 79th Street is a busy transportation hub that goes through several neighborhoods and gang conflict territories.

“When you have more people on the street, there are more people interacting and violence can be more in those areas,” Tracy said.

A majority of the murders happened between King Drive and Yates Boulevard, which is just west of where six people were wounded when gunfire erupted outside a laundry at 79th and Marquette on June 2.

“I don’t stay out late. I changed my route when I went different places because certain areas were more prone to shootings than other areas,” former resident Barbara Whigham, 59, said. “Certain appointments I changed because on the weekends it was worse. If I did something on the weekends, I made sure somebody picked me up and brought me back, because even the CTA isn’t safe.”

Photo by Emily Brosious

Tracy did note, however, that technological advances allow police to use CTA surveillance video to capture images of crimes that may occur outside the bus.

The most recent murder happened May 29 when gun violence erupted in the 700 block of East 79th Street — less than a block from the Great Choice — and 58-year-old Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep special education teacher Betty Howard was killed while working her second job at Kale Realty.

Prosecutors said Dominique Hodrick, 23, was attempting to shoot a rival inside a passing vehicle, but the bullet went through the wall of the real estate office and struck Howard in the chest. Hodrick, of the 7900 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue, is being held without bond while he awaits trial on murder charges.

The shooting that killed Howard was one of seven slayings along the stretch that happened between 5 p.m. and 4 a.m.

“I’m in the house at six o’clock every day because I’m afraid I might get shot,” said Tracy Davis, 46. “My mother lives on the West Side in Oak Park, and she’s afraid of me getting hurt. She wants me to leave the South Side, but I’ve been here all of my life.”

Several longtime residents believe the area has gotten worse in recent years, and they blame an increase in teenage violence.

“The teenagers are taking over,” said Marion Knight, 62. “It’s not like it was when we were teenagers. They have no respect for their elders.”

Andre Rowell, 56, said he tried to help a young relative get off the street by offering to help him find a job.

“They need to find some jobs for these people,” Rowell said. “If they had something to do, then they wouldn’t be out on the corner selling loose squares, cigarettes, dope and crack and s---.”

While some residents say the area is getting worse, there has been a 50 percent decrease in murders along the stretch compared with the same period last year.

Police have deployed additional resources in the area, including officers on foot posts and in “impact zones,” CPD’s Tracy said.

“There is real progress,” Tracy said. “It’s not just on 79th Street, but throughout the city. … Other than two or three districts, we have reductions in crime throughout the city.”

-- Contributing: Kaley Fowler

PHOTOS BY ALEX WROBLEWSKI
For Chicago Sun-Times

Antonio Smith, 9, was fatally shot Aug. 20 in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood after he ran out of the family apartment when he was denied a cupcake, his mother said. The boy was laid to rest on Saturday.

Darius Sept was shot to death early Saturday in the Morgan Park community.

Sept, 34, was shot in the abdomen in the 10900 block of South Racine Avenue about 12:30 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Sept, of the 1100 block of West 107th Street, died about five hours later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Police said Sept was no cooperating with detectives after the shooting.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Marsharra Tate / Photo from Chicago Police

A second man has been charged with murder in the May shooting death of Summer Moore, a mother of three killed outside a family party in the Morgan Park community.

Marsharra Tate, 19, was was also charged with one count each of attempted murder and and aggravated discharge of a firearm, police said. He is scheduled to appear for a bond hearing Sunday.

Tate, of the 8300 block of South Saginaw Avenue, was identified as the man who shot Moore in the 11400 block of South Aberdeen Street May 9, authorities said.

Moore, 37, was attending a party to celebrate a teenage relative’s prom send-off when she was shot in the chest, her family said. Police said she was not the intended target.

In late June, Johnny Reese, 23, was charged in the murder for his alleged role in the slaying.

Prosecutors said Reese was saw a man with whom he had an ongoing dispute get into the passenger’s seat of a car near South Aberdeen Street and West 113th Place.

Summer Moore / Family photo

Reese and another person then got into a Chevrolet Suburban, drove a half block south and the passenger exited and opened fire, prosecutors said.

At least one bullet struck Moore, of the 3100 block of West Marquette Road, who later died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said.

Tate is scheduled to appear in court for a bond hearing on Sunday. Reese is being held on $1 million bond.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Nine people were murdered throughout Chicago last week, including two beating deaths and one fatal stabbing.

Both of the beatings happened over the holiday weekend, when three people were shot to death and at least 33 others were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent murder happened when a 29-year-old man was shot in the 7400 block of North Ridge Avenue in the Roger Park community about 8:45 p.m. Sunday, authorities said. His name was not yet released.

In the Little Village neighborhood, 23-year-old Victor Ramirez was beaten then run over by a car in the 4100 block of West 26th Street about 5:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Ramirez, of the 3000 block of West 41st Street, later died at an area hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which ruled the death a homicide.

On Saturday, two males beat a 59-year-old homeless man to death in the 1900 block of North Ridgeway Avenue about 10:50 p.m., authorities said. An autopsy on the unidentified man is scheduled for Tuesday.

In the Morgan Park community, 34-year-old Darius Sept was shot in the abdomen in the 10900 block of South Racine Avenue about 12:30 a.m., authorities said.

Sept, of the 1100 block of West 107th Street, died about five hours later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Back of the Yards neighborhood, police found 36-year-old Johnny White shot on a sidewalk in the 5400 block of South Damen Avenue about 10:45 p.m. Friday, police said. White, of the 7600 block of South Carpenter Street, later died at Christ Medical Center.

On Wednesday, 34-year-old Antonio Hobson was sitting in a garage in the 1800 block of South Fairfield Avenue in North Lawndale when a car drove past and someone inside opened fire about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Hobson, of the 1600 block of South Komensky Avenue, was shot multiple times and died at Mount Sinai Hospital about two hours later, authorities said.

In the Albany Park neighborhood, 38-year-old Erenbira Pimentel-Hernandez was stabbed multiple times in a stairwell in the 4700 block of North Lawndale Avenue about 8:20 a.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Hernandez, of the 5000 block of West Grand Avenue, died later that day at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the medical examiner’s office. Police said the attack was domestic related.

On Tuesday, 29-year-old Arthur Shanklin was shot multiple times in the 6700 block of South Parnell Avenue in West Englewood about 1:20 a.m., authorities said. Shanklin, of 1000 block of East 76th Street, died at the scene.

The slayings started early Monday when 23-year-old Joseph Lewis was shot in the 5400 block of South Winchester Avenue in the New City community just before 9 a.m., authorities said.

Lewis, of the 3500 block of West 60th Place, died less than an hour later at Holy Cross Hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office. A 17-year-old boy was also wounded during the shooting.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 279 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 11 people killed by police.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different, have ruled some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Police Supt. Garry McCarthy discusses crime stats / Photo by Brian Jackson

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Chicago Police announced Monday that August murders declined for the third consecutive year.

Police reported 46 murders in August, an 8 percent decrease from the 50 killings in 2013 and a 16 percent decrease from the 55 slayings in 2012. There were only 35 murders in August 2011.

Despite the decrease in killings, the number of shooting incidents and shooting victims remained about the same.

Police reported 237 shooting incidents in August 2014, 234 last year, 282 in August 2012 and 215 in August 2011.

The 289 shooting victims in August 2014 was a slight decrease from the 295 last year, police said. There were 351 shooting victims in August 2012 and 261 in August 2011.

Overall, police reported 257 murders through the first eight months of the year -- a 7.5 percent decrease from the 278 murders during the same time period last year. The decrease continues the trend of declining murders as 358 people were killed in the first eight months of 2012 and there were 278 slayings through August 2011, police said.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office, which counts murders different, has ruled at least 279 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 11 people killed by police officers. Police have ruled some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Despite murders being down in the first eight months of 2014, there was a five percent increase in shooting incidents and nearly a six percent increase in shooting victims compared to the same time last year, according to police data. Both shootings incidents and shooting victims are down from 2012 and 2011.

During a Monday press conference, Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy noted overall crime is down 14 percent through the same time last year and praised the department's hard work and a "strengthened partnership" with the community.

-- Contributing: Stefano Esposito

Johnny White was fatally shot in the Back of the Yards neighborhood late Friday.

White, 36, was shot in the head and thigh and police found him on a sidewalk in the 5400 block of South Damen Avenue about 10:45 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

White, of the 7600 block of South Carpenter Street, later died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Victor Ramirez died after being beaten and run over by a car in the Little Village neighborhood early Sunday.

Ramirez, 23, got into a fight in the 4100 block of West 26th Street about 5:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Ramirez, of the 3000 block of West 41st Street, was beaten during the fight, authorities said. One of the attackers then got into a car and ran over Ramirez while making a U-turn.

He died a short time later at an area hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

A Monday autopsy determined Ramirez died of multiple injuries from an assault and the death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office.

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire