Bail set for teen arrested after police shooting

Bail was set at $900,000 today for a 16-year-old boy charged with murder after his teenage accomplice in an alleged armed robbery was shot and killed by a responding Chicago police officer.

Brandon Ross, a sophomore at Chicago Vocational Career Academy, was charged as an adult with felony murder and armed robbery. Ross, of the 6800 block of South Jeffery Boulevard, appeared in court in a black T-shirt and baggy black pants that he clutched to keep from falling down.
Prosecutors said Ross gave a videotaped statement to investigators admitting that he and Tatioun Williams, 15, planned and executed an armed robbery at about 8 p.m. Wednesday at 70th Street and South Cregier Avenue in the South Shore neighborhood.

The 27-year-old robbery victim told the Tribune he was outside his home when the teens approached and shoved a gun in his face. The teens made off with an iPod, credit cards and a car key, the victim said.

While the victim went into a neighbor’s house to call 911, a witness followed the teens down the block and then pointed them out to two Chicago police sergeants responding to the call, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Chris Costello.

The uniformed sergeants, who were in a marked squad car, spotted the teens near 69th Street and Bennett Avenue and ordered them to put their hands up, Costello said.

“(Williams) responded by turning and pointing a gun at the sergeants,” Costello told Judge Donald Panarese Jr. “One sergeant, fearing for her safety, fired her service weapon, striking him in the rear upper left shoulder.”

Williams, of the 1300 block of East 69th Street, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A gun was recovered at the scene.

Ross is awaiting trial on juvenile charges of criminal trespass to land and was in violation of a 7 p.m. curfew in the case at the time of his arrest, according to Costello.

The robbery victim said Williams’ death was unfortunate but praised the actions of the officers.

"They did an excellent job," said the robbery victim, who asked not be identified. "If they respond as speedy as they did yesterday, that could cut down on criminals getting away."

Williams' mother, Lois Pickett, said her son, the oldest of five children, would never carry a gun.

"Yes, he has (previous arrests), but that's not a reason to kill him," Pickett said between sobs.

She said she first heard about the shooting on a news broadcast late Wednesday, but had no clue that her son was dead. Pickett said she turned to another son and said: "'I hope it wasn't one of your friends. That's right around the corner from us."