Vaughn Holeman / Photo from Facebook
BY MICHAEL LANSU AND SUSAN DU
Homicide Watch Chicago
A 15-year-old boy has been charged with murder in the shooting death of Vaughn Holeman, 15, on Mother’s Day in the West Pullman community.
Vaughn and the alleged gunman were outside in the 200 block of West 116th Street when Vaughn pointed out a passing vehicle about 3:40 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.
The 15-year-old with the gun then fired multiple shots at the vehicle, and on of those shots struck Vaughn, authorities said.
The alleged shooter has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm and possession of ammunition without a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card. Police were not releasing the boy’s name because of his age.
Tiffany Woodley, a neighborhood mom whose children attended Haley Elementary Academy with Vaughn, said she was sitting on her porch when she saw a white car drive past her house.
When Vaughn fell, Woodley ran to the corner as other children gathered around and she held Vaughn in her arms and applied pressure to his wounds to try to stop the bleeding, she said.
Vaughn, of the 400 block of West 115th Street, was shot in the chest and died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn less than an hour later, authorities said.
“He never said anything,” Woodley said. “It was traumatic, it really was. It was trying.”
Woodley said she knew Vaughn as an extension of her own children — the outgoing jokester in their group. She described Vaughn as a pleasant young man who was well-known and well-liked in their West Pullman community.
Area South detectives were investigating whether the shooting was gang related, authorities said.
“It’s just really sad that this situation was allowed to grow to this level. It’s like: What is there to do to stop this? What is the answer?” Woodley said.