NORTH LAWNDALE — Jonathan Mills, a former basketball standout at North Lawndale College Prep, was shot to death in North Lawndale early Monday afternoon, police said.
Mills was shot multiple times around 1:20 p.m. in the 4100 block of West Roosevelt Road, according to Officer Michelle Tannehill, a Chicago Police spokeswoman.
Mills, 26, was pronounced dead on the scene, Tannehill said.
Police could not immediately provide any other information on the shooting.
The shooting occurred across the street from the ward office of Ald. Michael Scott, Jr. (24th) at 4200 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Friends and local media went to social media to give their thoughts.
My lil bro/Former @USMGoldenEagles men's basketball player-Jonathan Mills has been killed crazy cold world we live in rip love yu lil bro
— Sherron Collins (@SHERRONCOLLINS4) July 25, 2016
Just dreadful news...Mills was tough as nails on the floor, a good guy off it...he was a 6-5 who played 6-10 https://t.co/HwQPuX7hJf
— Rick Cleveland (@rick_cleveland) July 25, 2016
Mills was an all-state basketball player at North Lawndale College Prep who led the school to the 2008 2A state championship and the 2009 Public League title. He also played for Eastern Utah and the University of Southern Mississippi, where he was third team All-Conference USA and also the Conference USA All-Defensive Team in 2011-12, according to the school's website. He went on to play for the London Lightning of the Canada-based National Basketball League.
Jimmy Sanders, who starred at Westinghouse High School, knew Mills. He told DNAinfo that Mills, whom he considers to be one of the best basketball players to come out of the North Lawndale neighborhood, got "caught up" in the street life.
"We just saw him the other day hooping. The streets are tough. When I was coming up, basketball players were off limits then," Sanders said. "Times have changed. To see him laying up against the gate like that after seeing him a couple of days ago makes it even worse."
Sanders says that members of the coaching staff at North Lawndale College Prep were scheduled to retire's Mills's No. 4 jersey in the fall. They hadn't gotten around to tell Mills the news yet, Sanders said.
"He barely walked out of the store and he was gone that fast," Sanders said. "There's too much going on right now. The violence needs to stop."
A woman who identified herself as "Coach Blackmon," claimed to have known Mills since he was young came to the scene of Mills's death to pay her respects. She said his shooting was "senseless."
"He was the ideal young man. He showed me nothing but love when he would see me. 'Hey coach! It's a game today!" she said. "He was a beast on the court. Whomever took his life, it makes no sense. These young people have no value to life."
A friends of Mills told DNAinfo that he was scheduled to play in a semi-pro game on Monday night.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
