Crime
16-year-old Devajae Christopher and 17-year-old Tamarion West killed in Auburn Gresham shooting
CHICAGO, IL — Chicago police have identified 16-year-old Devajae “DJ” Christopher, known by friends as “Lil Spazz,” and 17-year-old Tamarion West, known as “Stewie,” as the two teenage victims found shot to death early Wednesday morning in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
A third victim, a 21-year-old man, was wounded in the same incident.
According to the Chicago Police Department (CPD), officers were dispatched to the 8100 block of South Marshfield Avenue around 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 22, following reports of someone claiming they had been shot.
When first responders arrived, they discovered a 16-year-old male on the second-floor back porch of a residential building suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Upon entering the apartment, officers observed significant blood evidence and numerous shell casings scattered throughout the interior.
As they continued clearing the residence, they located a 17-year-old male in a hallway with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest. He was also pronounced deceased at the scene.
Officers then proceeded to the third floor, where they found a 21-year-old man hiding under a bed, suffering from a gunshot wound to the arm.
He was transported by the Chicago Fire Department to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was listed in fair condition.
A 13-year-old boy was also discovered hiding inside the residence but was physically unharmed.
Witnesses reported seeing three males fleeing the building shortly after gunfire erupted.
One nearby resident told investigators that the shooting may have occurred between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., when it was still dark outside, saying they heard multiple gunshots before gathering their children to pray.
At this time, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Two Bureau of Detectives are conducting a comprehensive investigation.
This tragic shooting marks the third incident within 24 hours in which multiple Chicago teenagers were shot, leaving three dead.
Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Chicago Police Department’s 6th District at (312) 745-3610, submit a tip anonymously through CPDTIP.com, or reach out to Cook County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-535-STOP (7867) for a potential reward leading to an arrest.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.