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Shamiya Adams' Killer Was Told His Target Wasn't There, Prosecutors Say

By Erin Meyer | July 25, 2014 12:21pm
 Tevin Lee, 18, was charged with murder in the death of Shamiya Adams, police said.
Tevin Lee, 18, was charged with murder in the death of Shamiya Adams, police said.
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Chicago Police

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — The teen charged in the slaying of 11-year-old Shamiya Adams fired at a group of people even though he was told his target wasn't in the area, prosecutors said Friday.

Tevin Lee, 18, an alleged Gangster Disciple, was ordered held without bond during a Friday hearing, where prosecutors described what they said led to the death of Shamiya.

Meanwhile, Lee's godfather insisted the teen was at the scene of the shooting, but didn't fire the fatal shot. He said Lee is a Crane High School graduate who is active in a church-based anti-violence program. The godfather, Wallace Bryant, also said Lee has served as an elementary school teacher's assistant.

In court, prosecutors said that around 9:35 p.m. on July 18, Shamiya was inside a home making s'mores with friends at a sleepover in East Garfield Park, excited to attend a church picnic. The stray bullet came through the open window, ricocheted off a wall and struck her, police said. She died the next morning at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Prosecutors said a 14-year-old friend of Lee's was pushed off his bike and beaten up by a group of other boys earlier in the day in the 3900 block of West Gladys Street. When the beaten up 14-year-old told Lee — along with a few of his family members — what happened, a group of them returned to the scene of the fight with a gun, Asst. Cook County State's Attorney Robert Mack said.

Even though the 14-year-old said the people who beat him up weren't around, Lee opened fire anyway — shooting three or four rounds. One bullet went into a nearby home, killing Shamiya, Mack said.

Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said the gun has not been recovered. Lee allegedly told witnesses he got rid of the weapon, prosecutors said.

After the Friday hearing, Lee's godfather disputed police and prosecutor claims that his godson was the shooter.

"Tevin went over there to fight. Yes, he is going to go fight for his friend," Bryant said, but insisted Lee didn't pull the trigger. "The boy who did it ... the police let him go."

Prosecutors said several witnesses identified Lee as the shooter.

Thursday morning, McCarthy said the girl's death had a "haunting familiarity" with other child-on-child crimes in Chicago.

"And now we have another child murdered," McCarthy said. "At the end of the day, you introduce a gun into a fistfight, and this is what happens."

McCarthy related the case to the death of 14-year-old Endia Martin, when an argument over a boy allegedly prompted another 14-year-old girl to shoot her. Later authorities said the shooter had asked her 25-year-old uncle for the gun. He was charged in the case as well.

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