Hadiya Pendleton Case: Two Suspects Expected To Face Murder Charges In Chicago Teen's Death
Police reported on Monday that prosecutors were close to filing murder charges against two suspected gang members for the Jan. 29 deadly shooting of a Chicago teenage girl, whose death has turned into a rally in the national debate over gun control.
At a news conference, Garry McCarthy said the murder charges were imminent against the two men that were incarcerated on Sunday, according to The Huffington Post. The suspects were said to be 18 and 20-years-old.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel stated that he informed the 15-year-old's parents about the latest developments in the murder case.
The late Hadiya Pendleton had actually performed as a majorette at the presidential inauguration ceremonies in Washington just nine days prior to her death. First lady Michelle Obama met up with Pendleton's family on Feb. 9 and brought her mother to the casket at the teenager's crowded service.
On Monday, the White House confirmed that Pendelton's parents would be alongside the first lady while President Barack Obama conducted his State of the Union address on Tuesday.
Pendelton was with her friends under a canopy in order to avoid rain when one of the suspects came up behind her and shot her before jumping inside a waiting vehicle and fleeing the scene. Investigators have strong reason to believe that the teenage victim's attacker accidentally mistook her for a rival gang member.
The honor student's death was just one of over 40 in Chicago alone last month, the city's deadliest January in over a decade.
Last year there were over 500 homicides reported for the first time since 2008, which heightened residents' concerns regarding gun violence, leading the police department to employ a larger street force and to hone in on putting a stop to gang violence.
"The only time when the gun issue ever gets affected is when Newton happens. What happens in urban areas around the country to often ... gets put to the side," Emmanuel added.