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Subscribe to RSSA 28-year-old father injured in a Monday shooting that also killed his daughter was released from the hospital Thursday.
Jonathan Watkins stood silently as Pastor Corey Brooks, who has been acting as the family's spokesman, spoke to reporters outside the 5th District police station shortly after 9:30 p.m. Brooks said Watkins wished to "fully" cooperate with authorities and dispel misinformation that's been reported this week. He didn't offer specifics.
"His wounds haven't even healed yet and he's in a lot of pain and so we're going to go in and whatever the police need to know that he may know, we want to make sure that he fully commits himself to letting them know that," said Brooks.
Police said Jonathan Watkins told them he was changing the diaper on his 6-month-old daughter, Jonylah Watkins, on Monday when someone came up behind him and started shooting. Sources told NBC Chicago on Wednesday police had their doubts about that story.
Read the original story at NBCChicago.com
The girl suffered multiple injuries to her little body and died the morning after the shooting. A medical examiner source told NBC Chicago the damage to her thigh, shoulder, lung live and bowels may have been caused by a single bullet.
Jonathan Watkins, police said, has ties to the Gangster Disciples and has an extensive criminal record. Police records show he's been arrested 39 times and was likely the shooter's intended target. Numerous weapons violations and an attempt to steal his car back from police after it was impounded are among the previous charges against the father.
"He paid for his crime. He's fine with that. We're not trying to hide from that. We're not ducking and dodging from that," Brooks said Thursday night. "But that's not the issue. The issue is a baby got shot and killed and we need everybody to stay on point and stay on focus on what happened."
Gang violence claims 6-month-old baby even as homicides fall in Chicago
Jonylah Watkins' funeral has been scheduled for March 19. Brooks said basketball star Derrick Rose has offered to pay for the services.
An $11,000 reward stands for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the shooter.
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I almost lost my cookies when I saw 39 arrests. Sounds like he should have been locked up for life instead of being out on the street becoming a baby-daddy.
What does it take to be a career criminal and jailed forever in IL?
50, 100?
In IL.? Basically murder. The state has no money for prisoners.
28 years old arrested 39 times. Im sorry he lost his child. I hope he the father can turn his life around. Pastor Corey Brooks is doing what he can for this family that is righteous.
So, the other day the story comes out and it says the father had gang affiliations, and now today it's - he's been arrested 39 times.
It's sad that his life-style led to this for his baby.
Well if the father's past dealings with criminals lead to the incident at hand then it does have something to do with what happened. I would have to agree with the police on this one because if he is knowingly hanging out and consorting with known ciminals then this is usually the outcome it is just sad for the baby she had nothing to do with that but gang bullets really have no names on them anyone can be a vicitm. May the little girl rest in peace.
The sins of the father mean nothing here. There is no excuse for shooting a 6 month old child. This is a case where the death penalty should apply. Too bad Illinois doesn't have it.
We can blame the father for his misdeeds, but we should not even think about using them as an excuse for the death of his daughter. A contributing factor, yes. The reason for it, no.
RIP Jonylah
I have said from the start that this story sounded fishy. Dad gets hit once but the baby takes five bullets?