A 7-year-old boy who was shot and killed earlier this week on Chicago's Near West Side was running an errand for his mother when he was gunned down by a teenager, prosecutors said.
Chicago police announced Friday a 16-year-old boy was charged with first-degree murder among others, in connection with the killing of Jai'Mani Amir Rivera. The teen, identified as Raysean Comer, made his first appearance before a judge on Saturday at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse.
Jai'Mani's family gathered outside the courthouse holding photos of the 7-year-old as the court hearing took place.
"You took my baby’s whole life away," an emotional Vanessa Rivera, Jai'Mani's aunt, said. "My baby didn’t get to live his life. He was supposed to be a football player. He was so happy to play football."
Prosecutors in court revealed that the 7-year-old's mother was at work when she called him and asked him to take a cooking pot to a neighbor's home. Jai'Mani was then shot as he left the building, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Anne McCord.
Prosecutors said Raysean was caught on surveillance video before, during, and after the shooting at Oakley Square Apartments. A witness called 911 after hearing two gunshots in the area.
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"This witness then observed a gunman on Oakley Street with a rifle standing next to her car, firing additional rounds to the west towards the victim’s apartment complex," McCord said.
The weapon used in the shooting has not yet been recovered, police previously said, noting that they believe an assault rifle was used.
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The assistant state's attorney explained multiple officers and witnesses recognized the teenager in surveillance images. Another witness told police she was playing cards with Raysean after the murder when the 16-year-old said he "will have nightmares about what he did," referring to killing people, prosecutors stated.
In response, Raysean said, "I didn't mean to do that," court documents revealed.
Prosecutors said the teenager was placed on electronic monitoring in May for aggravated robbery. He cut off the electronic monitoring device in June and failed to appear in court twice for two separate cases, authorities said.
As of Saturday, investigators were still searching for a motive as family prepared to bury Jai'Mani.
"This guy still gets to live behind a cell... breathing, eating, while my baby is buried six feet deep under that’s not right," Rivera said.
