A few hours after Steven McCaskill grabbed a gun from his grandmother’s home Wednesday, two stray bullets from the weapon struck and killed an innocent boy as he walked to a corner store, authorities said.
McCaskill, 17, and a 14-year-old boy were charged with first-degree murder on Saturday for providing the gun that killed 10-year-old Arthur Jones near his home on the city’s South Side on Wednesday, officials say.
Police don’t think either suspect is the shooter, whom they are still looking for. Arthur was unintentionally struck during a battle between two rival gangs, police said.
McCaskill, a student at Tilden High School, appeared in court Saturday and was ordered held in lieu of $500,000 bail by Cook County Circuit Judge Israel Desierto. The 14-year-old suspect is due in juvenile court on Monday, police said.
McCaskill admitted in a videotaped confession to passing the gun to someone who gave the weapon to the shooter, prosecutors said at his bail hearing. McCaskill was arrested at the scene of the shooting on Wednesday when two witnesses confirmed his involvement, said Assistant State Atty. Jenny Scheck.
The shooting took place in the 800 block of West Garfield Boulevard when an altercation broke out between rival gang members, police said.
Arthur was shot in the back of his neck, and the bullet exited his cheek. He was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital that evening.
The gun used in the crime has not been recovered, and police would not comment on what kind of gun was used.
Authorities said that McCaskill of the 5200 block of South Lowe Avenue is a gang member who was involved in an ongoing quarrel with another South Side gang. He knew the people he gave the gun to were going to use it to shoot at the other gang that evening, Scheck said.
His lawyer, public defender Toya Harvey, said McCaskill lives with his aunt in the 4700 block of South Union Avenue. He has had several juvenile arrests but no convictions, according to prosecutors and Harvey.
The arrest of the two teens Saturday was no comfort to Valerie Ward, Arthur’s great-aunt.
“I think it’s a waste. Arthur’s gone. … It’s another life wasted,” she said. “It’s senseless. The young people’s lives are just gone.”
She said Arthur’s mother continues to take his death hard.
“My heart hasn’t accepted it yet,” Ward said. “She hasn’t let go either. She hasn’t cried yet. She has eight other children, but everybody is feeling alone.”
The Englewood community has been grief-stricken and outraged over the death of the boy. Church and school leaders offered a $15,000 reward Thursday for information about his slaying.
Arthur Jones, known as AJ and the youngest of nine children, was headed to a convenience store with his best friend after school to buy candy when he was shot. He heard the shots ring out and tried to run, but didn’t make it, family have said.
Arthur was a 5th grader at Holmes Elementary School.
A group of people gathered Saturday at the site of the shooting to place a sign reading “Stop killing the children” among stuffed animals dedicated to Arthur. Many of those at the site were from the local group Veterans Against Violence, including Rochelle Crump.
“This shooting has touched us because he was just a baby,” Crump said. “Justice has to be served, but [McCaskill] is another lost life. We lift our hearts up to both families.”
Charles Coleman was also there with his two 10-year-old grandsons.
“I don’t let my grandkids play out here,” he said. “Why would you have a shooting where kids play? Our people are caught in the crossfire.”
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 4543 S. Princeton Ave.
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efitzsimmons@tribune.com
