A 17-year-old Evanston boy was fatally shot in West Rogers Park when he tried to rob a drug dealer after purchasing a single pill of Xanax, prosecutors said. The alleged drug dealer is now facing illegal gun possession charges.
Arturo Munoz, a senior at Evanston Township High School, was fatally shot in an alley behind the 6400 block of North Hamilton around 2:50 a.m. Monday, according to Chicago police.
Prosecutors on Wednesday said Munoz picked up two friends, retrieved a handgun, and then called 18-year-old Christopher Arellano to order the pill. Munoz told his friends that he intended to rob Arellano of a gun that he believed Arellano carried, according to the state.
After dropping off his two friends nearby, Munoz entered the alley and completed the drug deal. He then pulled out a gun and started following Arellano as he walked away. When Arellano heard Munoz approaching, he turned around, and Munoz pointed the gun at his head from two feet away, according to prosecutors. A fight broke out, and the two allegedly exchanged gunfire.
One of Arellano’s rounds passed through Munoz’s arm and lodged in the boy’s abdomen, prosecutors said. He fell to the ground and was later pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital.
Both of Munoz’s friends, who called 911 to report the shooting, and Arellano made corroborating statements, according to prosecutors.
Police recovered Munoz’s gun from the scene. At Arellano’s home, police allegedly found a gun and spent shell casings.
Arellano graduated this year from Rickover Naval Academy, according to his defense attorney.
Prosecutors charged Arellano with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and misdemeanor possession of a firearm. Judge David Navarro set bail at $25,000. Arellano will need to post a $2,500 deposit bond to get out of jail before trial.