EPD Sgt. Kenneth Carter reads a prepared statement to the media at Wednesday’s news conference. Credit: Alex Harrison
EPD Sgt. Kenneth Carter reads a prepared statement to the media at Wednesday’s news conference. The Evanston Police Department announced Wednesday that a juvenile suspect has been arrested and charged in the July 25 shooting in a backyard on Fowler Avenue, and that the investigation is still ongoing.
The department held a press conference at 2:30 p.m. at the Fire Department headquarters, where Sgt. Kenneth Carter read a prepared statement in English and Detective Pedro Carrasco read the same statement in Spanish. Commander Ryan Glew opened the briefing by stating that the department would not be answering questions or providing any additional information at this time.
EPD arrested a 17-year-old resident of Sauk Village in southeast Cook County on Thursday, Aug. 11, and later charged him with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault, Carter said. in relation to the shooting.
“The juvenile has been charged as an adult, but we are not releasing his name at this time,” Carter said.
Carter said the investigation revealed that one of the teenagers was the “intended target of the shooter,” but that the 13-year-old girl who suffered a gunshot wound to the neck was not that target. He said the girl suffered a “severe spinal cord injury” and remains hospitalized.
A NORTAF truck sits on Lake Street in front of EFD headquarters before Wednesday’s press conference. Credit: Alex Harrison
Carter thanked EPD personnel, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Northern Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF) for their work on the investigation thus far. Although the three EPD officers were the only speakers at the briefing, a NORTAF Forensic Specialist Unit truck was parked in front of EFD on Lake Street prior to the briefing.
While investigators are not looking for any other suspects, Carter said the investigation is ongoing and asked community members to come forward with any information they have about the shooting. Residents can call EPD’s detective bureau at 847-866-5050, or they can use Text-a-Tip by texting 275637 (“CRIMES”) with a message beginning with “EPDTIP” .