CHICAGO — The teenager who police say shot and killed Chicago honor student Hadiya Pendleton was on probation for unlawful use of a firearm, Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said Monday night.
Michael Ward, 18, and Kenneth Williams, 20, were each charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder, McCarthy told reporters. They were also charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm.
They will make their first appearance in court on Tuesday morning.
Ward confessed to shooting Hadiya and two others in late January in a case of mistaken identity, McCarthy said.
Police said Ward and Williams were gang members seeking revenge against the people who had shot Williams in July.
He and Ward thought they had spotted members of a rival gang at the park when police said Ward sneaked up on Hadiya and her friends and began shooting.
“Ward crept on foot, spraying gun fire,” McCarthy said.
Williams was the getaway driver, the superintendent said.
McCarthy said Ward was sentenced to two years’ probation in January 2012 for unlawful use of a firearm.
The charges come 12 days after Hadiya was shot to death at a park in what her godfather, Damon Stuart, described as an “ideal community” on Chicago’s South Side.
Her death occurred a week after she performed at one of the events surrounding Obama’s second inauguration.
The killing — which occurred in the city’s Hyde Park neighborhood near the Obamas’ Chicago home — drew the first couple’s attention.
First lady Michelle Obama attended Hadiya’s funeral and her husband wrote a note to Hadiya’s family that was printed on the funeral program: “We know that no words from us can soothe the pain, but rest assured that we are praying for you, and that we will continue to work as hard as we can to end this senseless violence.”
Hadiya, who often urged friends to stay away from gangs, was an honor student and band majorette at King College Prep School.
Her slaying — the 42nd in the city this year — also highlighted the problem of gun violence in Chicago. More than 500 people were fatally shot in 2012.
White House spokesman Jay Carney described her death as a “terrible tragedy.”
“The president has more than once, when he talks about gun violence in America, referred not just to the horror of Newtown or Aurora or Virginia Tech or Oak Creek, but to shootings on the corner in Chicago or other parts of the country,” Carney told reporters.
“And this is just another example of the problem we need to deal with.”
2013 has gotten off to a deadly start in Chicago — Pendleton was the year’s 42nd murder victim.
In 2012, 506 people were slain in the city.
52 Comments to “2 Charged in Death Girl Who Performed at Inauguration”
January 30, 2013 at 3:46 PM
It's a good thing Chicago has such strict gun laws…
January 30, 2013 at 4:27 PM
I'm shocked KTLA even mentioned her. Usually they only talk about non-local shootings if they occur in "red states".
January 30, 2013 at 7:46 PM
Watch Rush Limbaugh blame the girl for this.
January 30, 2013 at 8:51 PM
We need tough laws through the whole country, so that it's not easy to just cross a state line and get a gun in a state with more lenient gun laws.
January 30, 2013 at 4:11 PM
Those Bans are really helping.all the shootings should stop when?
January 30, 2013 at 5:02 PM
my buddy's sister makes $88/hour on the computer. She has been fired for 7 months but last month her income was $15403 just working on the computer for a few hours. Read more here http://xurl.es/e4o3k
January 30, 2013 at 8:18 PM
F- U, MFer! Nobody cares about you buddy's sister BS
January 30, 2013 at 5:49 PM
Guaranteed it's the n-i-g-g-e-r-s at it again with their killer mentality. They didn't care who they shot and killed. THEY ONLY KNOW VIOLENCE. It's VERY obvious.
January 30, 2013 at 8:10 PM
Bla Bla
January 30, 2013 at 8:21 PM
Here's one proving you right.So violent it's in the DNA. It just keeps coming out They can't help it .Total Savages.
February 11, 2013 at 7:59 PM
Couldn't agree more
February 11, 2013 at 9:59 PM
What a idiot you are. You call people names and you can't even spell… Gotta love that 3rd grade white school education.
January 30, 2013 at 5:57 PM
as i have stated before;;;;;;;;;;;;READ ANY LOCAL NEWSPAPER,WATCH ANY LOCAL TV NEWS,,AND YOU WILL SEE THAT NEGROES ALLWAYS PROVE ME RIGHT ABOUT THEM!……NEGRO MALES ARE SUB-HUMAN…..THEY HAVE NO FEELINGS OR RESPECT FOR ANYONE……NEVER EVER HESITATE TO TAKE 1 OR MORE DOWN!
January 30, 2013 at 6:32 PM
whats up ktla letting these two cold hearted racist morons comment about such a horrible situation ………you morons must never have been loved or hugged not our fault keep your comments to yourselves
January 30, 2013 at 9:23 PM
It's a free country, and YOU are the moron. I am a racist and the jigs have earned my thoughts with how terrible, lazy and crimeridden they are. FACTS pal. Go axe one.
February 11, 2013 at 8:15 PM
Are you jealous because your sister is dating a Black dude and loves it NoCal?
January 30, 2013 at 7:00 PM
And you think the Negresses aren't.they are all sub human. The missing link if you will,… between apes and man. This was a plague our forefathers brought upon us unintentionally no one saw Lincoln coming..The country's been going down hill ever since they were unchained.
February 11, 2013 at 8:23 PM
Your forefathers my A** ! Boy, you're a lot dumber than what i thought. Must be that 3rd grade education you got from that white elementary school you went to. If you don't like it here, then get the hell out of the Country!!
January 30, 2013 at 7:23 PM
yea real tough behind that computer
January 30, 2013 at 8:11 PM
This is correct my White Brotherrrr.
January 30, 2013 at 9:16 PM
No, just telling the truth. For example, where are all the WHITE people in Inglewood? Huh? They were ALL ran out of the city BECAUSE of the militant jigs. Many other cities, same thing. I'm from that area, so I happen to know what I'm talking about, and WE were ran out of our city because of the shootings and killings too. That's right, just stay in denial, as most do, because you want to be PC. Bullschitt to that.
Get an education, jerk.
February 12, 2013 at 1:02 AM
So please tell me this since you have so eloquently brought in race. When was the last time an African American killed for literally no reason? Yes this girls life was lost innocently and it should have never happened. These two African American men should be punished, but as you ponder the question, the answer is almost never. Since you brought race into this the Caucasians have literally been doing this for centuries inexcusably. Starting with the entirety of Europe and there malicious ways and ruling all the way up to the Newtown guy. It wasn't a black who shot in Colorado or bombed in Oklahoma.
If you look at it closely African Americans typically harm their own community and usually with a concrete motive weather agreeable or not! The Caucasians have killed with no motive and no intent and when investigated the reason for killing is mental illness. Ok fair! But in most cases an African American after investigation is deemed a cold hard criminal.
With all this said I say please end your prejudices. After all your correct Caucasians did get ran out of inglewood due to African Americans but just like we tore it down we brought it back up as seen in south central Los Angeles Compton and many more areas. After all your argument is invalid because yet again it was the Caucasians who came in and took the land from the NATIVE Americans.
January 30, 2013 at 8:53 PM
Sad thing is, while I'm sure you're nothing more than a troll, I know there are people out there who really do think like you. Makes me fear for some of my friends who have never done anything wrong, but who may some day end up victim to someone with your mentality.
January 31, 2013 at 7:23 AM
With remarks like that it makes one wonder how intelligent you really are. If you believe that your so called 'white' people don't live in Inglewood, then you are sorely mistaken. Ignorant people are always the ones to slap a label on an entire group of people and think they are correct in doing so. What if someone decided to judge all Caucasians by their historical and present day track record. If you don't know what I mean then research it. Educate yourself, not just spew regurgitated propaganda.
January 30, 2013 at 6:01 PM
What a terrible tragedy… my thoughts are with her family.
February 11, 2013 at 7:38 PM
Who cares what 2nd amendment and mark has to say. Totally meaningless. Just to male lovers that hates society and likes to fudge pack each other before going to sleep together. Hey 2nd, before you start opening that mouth of yours instead of using it on mark. Try to learn how to spell. OK?
January 30, 2013 at 6:35 PM
mark and 2nd amend. go hug each other you might just get arise from each other morons
January 30, 2013 at 6:59 PM
She was the only "walking angel" standing amongst a dozen gang members.
January 30, 2013 at 7:31 PM
Maybe that dude in the White House might get the idea that government really needs to put an end to ghetto crime that is very common in many cities, instead of making excuses for these low life animals who do this all the time.
January 31, 2013 at 7:28 AM
You really expect 1 man to put an end to what has been going on for many years even before he was born? Really? Last time I heard he was just a flesh and blood man, not God. Besides, many past presidents had the opportunity as well and did absolutely nothing.
January 30, 2013 at 7:47 PM
Hey Rahm, I think you need more Police. Probably someone in City Hall support these gang bangers
January 31, 2013 at 7:13 AM
I say that because I'm an idiot. Peace!
January 30, 2013 at 9:38 PM
Remind me how criminals would obey gun restrictions. Gun restrictions would only remove guns from law abiding citizens. Criminals don't follow rules.
January 30, 2013 at 11:45 PM
Chicago should evacuate the city of people, build a wall around it and only let the good people back in. Lock all the others out.
January 31, 2013 at 1:56 AM
Just nuke Chicago and be done with it already.
January 31, 2013 at 2:50 AM
If Obama had a daughter, she would look just like her.
January 31, 2013 at 7:07 AM
It's sad this happens. It's our society that has gone from bad to worse. No one wants to take responsibility. Gun laws are great but No One needs them. Criminals will always get guns. What we need is the old saying "an eye fir an eye" If you commit a crime you do the time. And we need need jails built in the desserts just like Arizona has for those criminals who murder and kill innocent victims. We need to do away with the "innocent till proven guilty" carp. YOU CCOMMIT THE CRIME IF ANY NATURE YOU GO TO JAIL PERIOD!!!!!! Those victims will never get justice so shy should criminals.
January 31, 2013 at 7:12 AM
Hey, let's go fishing. I need you to show me one of those Innocent till proven guilty CARPS.
January 31, 2013 at 7:47 AM
Lie with dogs, you may get fleas.
January 31, 2013 at 9:29 AM
I'm an idiot! Blah, blah
January 31, 2013 at 10:23 AM
why stay around where the Gang bangers hang out? Just asking for trouble
February 1, 2013 at 12:41 PM
who friggin cares
February 11, 2013 at 7:31 PM
LAPD=CHICKENS WITHOUT AHEAD
CHRISTOPHER DORNER =STRATEGIST
February 11, 2013 at 7:53 PM
hm yes.
February 11, 2013 at 7:52 PM
Trayvonna Negro was probably messin around with gang members and it cost her
February 11, 2013 at 8:01 PM
How is this news? People get shot up everyday, gun control activist are just using this to push their agenda. Anyone want to put money down that she was most like associated with gang baggers, yes I meant baggers.
February 11, 2013 at 8:03 PM
i honestly don't care. just don't take my guns away from me
February 11, 2013 at 8:27 PM
I’m glad that there’s finally justice for dear Hadiya
R.I.P. sweetie. May God bless your family for eternity.
February 12, 2013 at 5:01 AM
69 times more likely to die from heart disease
67 times more likely to die from cancer
16 times more likely to die from respiratory diseases
15 times more likely to die from a stroke
14 times more likely to die from an accident
8 times more likely to die from diabetes
6 times more likely to die from the flu or pneumonia
4.5 times more likely to know someone who committed suicide
3.5 times more likely to die in a car crash
2 times more likely to know someone who committed suicide with a firearm
….. than get murdered with a firearm.
Source: http://www.youargue.com/index.php/38kt13212
February 12, 2013 at 5:56 AM
like Shawn responded I'm in shock that a person able to profit $5473 in a few weeks on the internet. did you read this web page jump15.comCHECK IT OUT