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Chicago Police Department
Kenneth Williams (left) and Michael Ward (right) were charged Monday in the shooting death of Hadiya Pendleton
Two suspects have been charged in last month’s shooting death of a 15-year-old Chicago girl who performed at President Barack Obama’s second inauguration, police announced Monday night.
Michael Ward, 18, and Kenneth Williams, 20, each face one count of first-degree murder for the death of Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot two weeks ago in a park near her school, just days after returning from Washington, D.C., officials said. The two also face attempted first degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm for the attack that left two other teens wounded.
Ward was the shooter and confessed to police that Hadiya was not the intended target, police said. The shooting was allegedly meant to be a retaliation for Williams, who was shot last year.
Reached by phone Monday evening, Hadiya’s mother, Cleopatra Cowley, said she was “ecstatic” about the arrests and urged for the young men to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
“Look at what they've done to me and my family. We put so much work into raising my daughter. We had hopes. My son no longer has a big sister. They deserve to feel something that is remotely comparable,” Cowley told NBC News. “But my daughter is dead and even if they are rotting in jail, they will still be alive.”
Chicago police superintendent Garry McCarthy called Hadiya’s family “rocks in supporting us in this investigation.” During the press conference he said he hopes the high-profile murder will lead to meaningful change in the city’s gun law.
He also stressed that it wasn't tips from the community that led to the arrests, but rather relentless detective work.
“This was one of the most methodical, practical investigations that I can remember,” said McCarthy.
Since her death, Hadiya has become one of the faces of the Obama administration’s efforts to reform the nation’s gun laws. First Lady Michelle Obama attended the teenager’s funeral Saturday, and Cowley has been invited to attended Tuesday’s State of the Union.
“My baby deserves a revolution and I pray that what happened her to her will have an impact,” she said.
Chicago police announce the arrest, and charges, against two men in the shooting death of Hadiya Pendleton. Police also confirm that the shooter mistook the teens for gang members.
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Couple of gang bangers with guns, no real news here. Reports should ask them where they got the guns, assuming they would give a truthful answer, and also ask if one more gun law on the book in Chicago would have stopped them. I mean they already have a no gun policy unless you are a cop or connected to someone like the mayor.
Let's now see what time these two upstanding gang bangers get!
The death penalty is a waste of money and resources. It isn't even a deterrent. No thug commits a crime expecting to get caught. I hope these two get the max prison time and an overly amorous cell mate named Bubba.
Its a deterrent to the ones executed. Absolutely no chance of getting out and doing it a again. We just waste too much time from conviction to carrying out the sentence.
Oh I can hear their mama's wailing, "Oh my baby, oh my baby..."
I wonder what their fathers will say. They have fathers in the home right?
Not a profiler, but fair guess, no fathers, welfare mothers, high school drop outs, etc.. the list goes on!
And chimps like this will be the only people with viable weapons when monkey number one gets his way.
Chicago police superintendent Garry McCarthy called Hadiya’s family “rocks in supporting us in this investigation.” During the press conference he said he hopes the high-profile murder will lead to meaningful change in the city’s gun law.
Chicago already has some of the most repressive gun laws in the entire country and also the highest number of shootings. I say, "Take a lesson!"
That's the problem with Chicago crime right there! Until the community has the will power to unite and help police oust these gangs and criminals, their children will keep getting unnecessarily killed. How many more kids and innocent bystanders have to die before Chicago realizes the gun laws obviously aren't working and it is time for another strategy???
Another fine example of American raised youth I hope you are very proud...
Shut your trap. USA is the BEST Country in the world. Stay where you are
Reyes....correction. This story is Chicago Raised youth. There is a big difference between Chicago youth that grow up in a corrupt gang war-zone and the average urban American youth from most other safe parts of America.
Now the Police Commissioner is taking credit for arresting these thugs, instead the
police ought to be ashamed of themselves for allowing the existing state of lawlessness
in Chicago. There were more homicides last January in Chicago, than the number of casualties sustained by the NATO forces in the theater of operations in Afghanistan; this is really scary.
Ironically, you do not hear/see the so called “Civil Rights Activists” getting involved condemning, or forcefully denouncing these murders like they always do when a person from another race kill an Afro-American
kid/adult. This is a self-destructive behavior that is having a negative impact on society as a whole,
and it contributes to re-enforced negative stereotypes about certain ethnic group (s).
I'm not going to make this a gun control argument...
I will CERTAINLY not make this a race argument..."black kids"?...ALL kids are out of control today!
Instead I will pray that this family sees REAL justice after loosing what I see to have been a wonderful young woman.
“This was one of the most methodical, practical investigations that I can remember,” said McCarthy. Maybe if they investigate all violent crimes in that manner then have real truth in sentencing we wouldn't have all these problems. Its the same no life SOB doing this stuff over and over. Lock them up in some rat and roach infested hole in the middle of nowhere and let them kill each other. This is a crime war punks like this are waging on us and our kids. These clowns will rot because its "high profile." Thats great but they should all be caught and left to rot.
Send these gangstas to Guantanamo Bay or the hills of Pakistan. Let them see how they can survive with the terrorists there! One way ticket.
You are right ma'am....I would like to pay my respects.
You are right to demand a "Revolution".
A revolution against the black leadership in this country who perpetuate race as a means to keep you beholden to the government.
A Revolution against the apathy towards an education, hard work and effort vs. the quick buck of crime so many in your community pursue.
A Revolution against the Whoa is me, my ancestors were mistreated excuse for bad behavior so many in the community and the leaders of those communities continue to push to further their own greedy goals at your expense.
A Revolution against the Liberal agenda that continues to ostracise hard working, successful black men and women of this country and their leaders who treat and call them Uncle Tom's for abandoning their communities as opposed to seeking their assistance to better the very communities they flee.
You worked hard, you taught your daughter well. Unfortunately you were failed by your community, you were failed by the very leaders of your community who were no more interested in you than furthering there own agenda.
You are right, a Revolution is needed.....Just not the one you think.
Are you sure the "Community Organizer" you continue to support is the right one for you and what is left of your family?
If Obama had a son....
Just what the gangs want- more guns taken from their prey.
Why not make it illegal for gang members to have guns? Oh wait- that IS a law.
Why not make it illegal to murder people? Oh wait- that IS illegal.
Gun laws? Are you a bunch of idiots? I swear we are surrounded by a bunch of brainless so called leaders.!
I used to look up to people in high places of leadership- boy was I wrong- they make gangsters look awful smart.
What is the matter with you people??? Can't you comprehend what you read and hear? You keep harping on a "gun grab". Who is saying there will be a gun grab? I have heard or read nothing about such a thing even being proposed. I have heard that there needs to be more regulation on guns being sold, especially those sold at gun shows and transactions between private citizens so please explain to me how that constitutes a "gun grab"??? The only thing even remotely akin to a "gun grab" that I've heard about is banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines. Do you really need those to defend yourself? And how many of you have actually ever even needed a gun of any kind to defend yourself? If you will check statistics you will find that ARMED home invasions are relatively low compared to the population. Try comparing that number to the number of people killed, with the family gun, by family members. Stop being idiots and think reasonably. Do some research. Obviously something needs to be done regarding both gun ownership and mental health. Get off your paranoia "tha guvment wants to take away my rights" high horse and start thinking and acting like sane, rational individuals. Then, get involved in a solution instead of insisting on being a part of the problem.
Read the stated goals of the TWENTY, national, anti-gun lobbing organizations. You anti-2nd amendment folks don't want to talk about them.
The brady bunch says they will get ALL guns banned, one small step at a time.
"statistics you will find that ARMED home invasions are relatively low compared to the population" Why do you think that is? Why do you thing Great Britain has such a high rate of home invasion compared to the US? Its because criminals here are scared to break into homes because they are afraid they will be shot. Having guns is a deterrent. The reason people are afraid of a "gun grab" is because if you do a little research you will see that Feinstein has in the past said that if she thought she could get the votes she would ban all guns. There is a movement to ban all guns. However, our politicians know that the majority of people in America would not support this. You are right, there is no chance right now of a "gun grab" but that doesn't mean it will never happen or that their aren't people who want one. Yes there needs to be more regulation on gun sales.
According to Wall Street Journal this 15 year old honor student had recently been arrested 3 times while on probation for a weapons charge. So basically a gang member got shot by other gang members. I think Obama needs to find a new poster child for gun control. Funny that none of the other media sources have disclosed this bit of information. Guess it doesn't fit their agenda. Yes its sad that she was killed but no more sad than any other gang murder that happens every day. We need to address the gang problem not the so called gun problem.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE post the link to this story and new facts!