Crime
Chicago police officer Enrique Martinez shot and killed in the line of duty
The suspected shooter attempted to flee on foot but was later apprehended.
A Chicago police officer and another individual were shot and killed on the city’s South Side on Monday evening, according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
The shooting occurred in the East Chatham neighborhood near East 80th Street and South Ingleside Avenue around 8 p.m.
CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling reported that officers initiated a stop on a vehicle occupied by three individuals.
As officers approached, gunfire erupted from inside the car, striking the 26-year-old Enrique Martinez multiple times. A second person inside the vehicle was also fatally shot.
Snelling confirmed that an officer discharged their weapon during the confrontation. Detectives are now analyzing the officers’ firearms as part of the ongoing investigation.
The suspected shooter attempted to flee on foot but was later apprehended.
A third person, seated in the rear of the vehicle, was taken into custody at the scene.
Fellow officers transported the injured officer to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The officer had served with CPD for nearly three years.
At the scene, police recovered two firearms: one was in possession of the person found deceased in the vehicle, and the second, a semi-automatic weapon with an extended magazine, was found nearby.
Several streets surrounding the scene were cordoned off as the investigation continued into the evening.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability responded to the incident, and the Mobile Command Post was also on-site.
A significant police presence was observed outside the University of Chicago Medical Center, located on East 57th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue, as officers mourned their colleague’s passing.
Crime
Two Children, Ages 9 and 10, Charged in Brutal Assault and Attempted Murder of 5-Year-Old A’Marie Jones in Cleveland
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Two children, ages 9 and 10, have been formally charged in connection with the brutal assault and attempted murder of a 5-year-old girl A’marie Jones in Cleveland last month, according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutors confirmed that the 9-year-old boy and 10-year-old girl are facing serious felony charges, including attempted murder, rape, felonious assault, kidnapping, and strangulation.
Because of their ages, both suspects are being charged as juveniles.
The alleged attack occurred on September 13 in a field near East 148th Street and St. Clair Avenue, where investigators say the young victim was discovered severely injured.
The child’s mother, Antavia Kennibrew, previously told that her daughter suffered catastrophic injuries, describing the scene as “unbelievable.” Kennibrew said she had dropped her daughter off at a relative’s home near East 145th Street and St. Clair Avenue that day.
At some point, the 5-year-old reportedly wandered out of the house alone before being attacked.
“When I saw her, she was unrecognizable,” Kennibrew said. “Her hair was scalped from her head. She had bruises and blood all over her body. Her eyes were filled with blood, her lips and mouth were swollen and bleeding, and her nails were filled with dirt and debris.”
First responders rushed the child to the hospital for emergency treatment. Officials say she continues to recover but has suffered severe physical, emotional, and psychological trauma. She is now undergoing ongoing therapy and counseling.
Due to the extreme sensitivity of the case and the involvement of minors, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office has declined to release further details, citing the ongoing investigation and the need to protect the victim’s privacy.
“The investigation remains active,” prosecutors said, noting that authorities are still reviewing evidence and gathering additional information.
Kennibrew says her focus now is on helping her daughter heal:
“I just want her to be able to live like a normal 5-year-old again.”
Cleveland police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the assault.