Crime
15-year-old Kenwon Van Pelt found shot dead inside home at Englewood neighborhood
No suspects are in custody at this time, and the investigation remains active.
CHICAGO, Dec. 3, 2024 – A tragic incident unfolded today as 15-year-old Kenwon Van Pelt, affectionately known as “Lil Kso” by his family and friends, was fatally shot inside his home.
The Chicago Police Department (CPD) received a call reporting a person shot around 11:35 a.m. at the intersection of Marquette and Parnell.
Officers arrived to find Kenwon in his bedroom, seated in a chair, with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
While CPD has not disclosed further details about the case, investigators are searching for a group of teens who were reportedly inside the home with Kenwon at the time of the shooting.
Witnesses suggest the group fled the scene, leaving the doors open. Evidence collected from the scene includes a single shell casing in the bedroom, a live round discovered in the nearby alley, and a cellphone found close to the residence.
No suspects are in custody at this time, and the investigation remains active.
CPD Area 1 Detectives are urging anyone with information about this case to come forward. Anonymous tips can be submitted at CPDTIP.com, or individuals can contact the 7th District police station directly at (312) 747-8220.
This tragic loss marks the second fatal shooting of a teenager within 12 hours in Chicago, following a separate mass shooting.
This devastating pattern of gun violence continues to claim young lives and leave communities in mourning. As bloodshed escalates, families and neighborhoods are being torn apart.
“We must address this crisis head-on,” community leaders and advocates have reiterated. “If we, as parents and members of the community, don’t step up, we will continue to lose our children to the senseless violence that plagues our streets.”
The loss of Kenwon Van Pelt underscores the urgent need for collective action to protect Chicago’s youth and end the cycle of violence.
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.