Bond was set at $500,000 today for a Chicago man accused of shooting an individual near a memorial for a slain teenager in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood last week.
Michael Martinez was charged with attempted murder, reckless discharge of a firearm and aggravated battery stemming from the shooting on June 14 in the 4300 block of West Hirsch Street.
Prosecutors said Martinez was already free on bond on a pending narcotics case when he went to a memorial for Jovany Diaz, 15, who had been killed on that block a night earlier. Martinez has a tattoo on his right arm with the words “In Loving Memory-Jovany Diaz,” according to court records.
The 24-year-old victim was among a crowd of about 30 people at the memorial when he exchanged insults with Martinez, Assistant State’s Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said. During the quarrel, Martinez took a revolver out of his waistband and fired two shots into the air.
According to Scaduto, the victim told Martinez that “shooting into the air did not make him a man.” Martinez then lowered the handgun and fired, striking the victim in both legs, Scaduto said.
Martinez ran from the scene. The victim, who was treated at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, was able to pick the gunman out of a photo array, and a warrant for Martinez’ arrest was issued several days later, records show.
At the time of the shooting, Martinez, of the 3100 block of North Springfield Avenue, was free on $20,000 bond on pending drug charges and was also under court supervision for a misdemeanor domestic battery conviction, records show. He was ordered held until a judge determined if he should be jailed for violating his bail.
His attorney, David Wiener, said Martinez works for a temp agency and supports his fiancé and a young son.
Diaz, a freshman at Amundsen High School, was celebrating his 15th birthday with his 19-year-old cousin in a front yard when a gunman approached from across the street and opened fire. No arrests have been made in that slaying
No comments:
Post a Comment