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Boy, 14, Killed a Block From Elementary School

By Alex Parker | August 25, 2013 4:36pm | Updated on August 25, 2013 7:55pm
 Lavander Hearnes, 14, was shot to death in a vacant lot in West Garfield Park Sunday morning, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said.
Lavander Hearnes, 14, was shot to death in a vacant lot in West Garfield Park Sunday morning, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said.
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DNAinfo/Quinn Ford

CHICAGO — A 14-year-old boy was shot to death in West Garfield Park Sunday morning, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed. He was killed just a block from an elementary school that is preparing to welcome students back to school Monday.

The boy, identified as Lavander Hearnes, of the 3900 block of West Wilcox Street, was standing in a vacant lot in the 4000 block of West Wilcox Street about 12:20 a.m. when he heard shots and was wounded in his chest, said Officer Jose Estrada, a Chicago Police Department spokesman.

He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds, where he was pronounced dead at 9:04 a.m., the medical examiner's office said.

Lavander was shot and killed near the Safe Passage route for Melody Elementary School, 3832 W. Wilcox St., a block away from where he fell.

Melody was renamed this summer after previously being known as Delano Elementary. Students from the now-shuttered Melody will attend class at the newly renamed school starting Monday.

Police initially said Lavander was 16.

He was among at least five others wounded by gunfire overnight, including 11-year-old Cindy Leon, shot while she sat on the front porch of her home in the Hermosa neighborhood.