9-year-old fatally shot in River North tonight

Update August 1, 2020, at 9:01 a.m. — The Cook County medical examiner’s office this morning identified the boy as Janari Andre Ricks of the 800 block of North Cambridge.

A 9-year-old boy was fatally shot Friday evening in the River North neighborhood, police said.

Police responded to shots fired outside a housing complex on the 900 block of North Cambridge just before 6:30 p.m. Officers arrived on the scene and found the boy with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest, CPD Chief of Operations Brian McDermott said Friday night.

McDermott said the gunman approached the scene on foot and began firing toward a group of people, including the boy, who were on a parking lot. Police said the child was not the intended target.

Several shell casings were found on the 500 block of West Locust. Two cars were also found with bullet holes in that area.

A man who lives near the area captured video of a large police response to the scene and of an ambulance taking the boy to Lurie Children’s Hospital, where doctors pronounced the child dead at 7 p.m., according to McDermott.

Facts first. 100% reader-funded. Click here to support CWBChicago today.

About CWBChicago 5994 Articles
CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com