CHICAGO — Serabi Medina had just purchased ice cream for herself and her father when her 43-year-old neighbor intentionally shot the 9-year-old to death outside her Northwest Side home, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Judge Kelly McCarthy ordered the accused man, Michael Goodman, held without bail.
Goodman was shot in the eye by his own firearm when the gun discharged as Serabi’s father tackled him after the shooting, according to a written proffer provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office.
Serabi’s father was talking with friends outside the Medinas’ apartment building in the 3500 block of North Long on Saturday evening, and one of the friends gave her money to buy treats from an ice cream truck. She returned with ice cream for herself and her dad.
A few minutes later, a gunshot sounded in the area, and Serabi’s father told her to take her scooter and go into the house.
As she reached the front door, Goodman came out of his apartment building across the street with a gun in his hand, According to the proffer. It said he walked up to Serabi and shot her in the head as Serabi’s father ran toward Goodman.
Serabi’s dad tackled Goodman in the vestibule of the Medinas’ apartment building, causing a bullet to fire into Goodman’s eye.
The father and all three of his friends identified Goodman as the person who shot Serabi, prosecutors said.
Chicago police recovered one shell casing from outside the front door of Serabi’s apartment building and another casing jammed in a gun they found on the vestibule floor.
Prosecutors said investigators who searched Goodman’s apartment found a bullet lodged in a wall, a shell casing, and a box of ammunition bearing the same headstamp as the casings recovered at the murder scene. Police also found evidence linking the murder weapon to Goodman, officials said.
Goodman has no criminal background.
