Crime
Amber Alert Cancelled: 4-Year-Old Blessing Aoci found safe
UPDATE: Authorities in Rock Island say Blessing Aoci has been located and is safe, and has been reunited with her mother..
ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS – Authorities are urgently searching for a missing 4-year-old girl, Blessing Aoci, who was inside a vehicle that was stolen early Thursday morning.
At approximately 6:07 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 1300 block of 14½ Street.
The car was left running with Blessing, secured in a car seat in the back.
The stolen vehicle was recovered at approximately 6:24 a.m. in the area of 8th Street and 15th Avenue, but Blessing was not inside.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Rock Island Police Department (RIPD), Rock Island County Sheriff’s Department, and Moline Police Department, are dedicating all available resources to locate the child.
The search includes door-to-door canvassing, aerial surveillance using drones, and collaboration with surrounding agencies.
Blessing Aoci is a 4-year-old African American female, approximately 3 feet tall and weighing 50 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pink jacket, pink boots, and blue pants.
Authorities are urging the community to remain vigilant. If you see a child matching Blessing’s description or have any information about her whereabouts, immediately contact the Rock Island Police Department at (309) 732-2677 or dial 911.
This is an active investigation, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available. The safety and well-being of Blessing remain the top priority for all involved.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.