By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times
Deonte Logan | Chicago Police
Two nephews of an Illinois state senator were killed by a gangbanger friend upset at them for not intervening when he was beaten up and stripped of his clothing at a July Fourth block party on the South Side, Cook County prosecutors said Friday.When 19-year-old Deonte Logan lashed out at Willie Hunter and John Hunter—also gang members—they tried to make it up to him by looking for his clothes, Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini said.
The victims were nephews of State Sen. Mattie Hunter.
They only found a shoe, but the Missouri-based brothers and another pal drove to the 8800 block of South Bishop to give the footwear back to Logan.
John Hunter
Logan wasn’t appreciative, according to authorities.
After the friend got out of the Chevrolet SUV to give back Logan’s shoe on the morning of July 5, Logan allegedly walked up to the car, pointed his gun inside and started shooting.
John Hunter, who like Logan was affiliated with the Black P. Stones, tried driving away from the hail of gunfire but ended up crashing into a nearby building in the 1600 block of West 89th Street, Santini said.
Willie Hunter, a member of the Mickey Cobras, was in the back of the SUV. The 31-year-old suffered multiple gunshot wounds. John Hunter, 25, was shot four times.
Logan, meanwhile, ran away with his shoe and the murder weapon, Santini said.
Willie Hunter
Originally from Chicago, the Hunter brothers had recently moved to Missouri but were back in town for the holiday weekend, a spokeswoman for the state senator told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The block party the siblings and Logan attended was hosted by the Mickey Cobras. And it was Mickey Cobras who beat up Logan during a fight at the festivities, Santini said.
An angry Logan left the party with his friends, Santini said.
Willie Lee and John Hunter also left a few minutes later with others in their rental car.
Shortly after, Logan called a mutual friend who was traveling with the brothers to say he was particularly incensed at them for not standing up for him, Santini said.
As he talked, his irritation grew, Santini said. That’s when the brothers decided to retrieve Logan’s clothes as an act of reconciliation.
Before meeting with Logan to return his shoe, the Hunters dropped off most of their friends at the house they were staying at. They told one friend they needed to calm the situation as they made their way to meet Logan, Santini said.
Logan’s murderous response to the gesture was captured on surveillance cameras, Santini said.
Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil ordered Logan, of the 8600 block of South Laflin, held without bond Friday.
The Hunters both worked for Scholastic, the children’s publishing company, according to their family.
At the funeral, their state senator aunt had said, “As I have so often stated, our family is not exempt from the violence we face in Chicago. And guess what? The real truth of the matter is that no matter who you are, what you do and how peacefully you try to live in this world, violence is seemingly never far away and always ready to prey. None of us are exempt. We are all in this terrible tragedy together.”
A spokesperson for Hunter was not immediately available for comment on Friday.