Weapon charge dropped in Schaumburg fatal stabbing, but investigation continues
While the Cook County state's attorney's office has dropped the Schaumburg Police Department's charge of unlawful use of a weapon against a 17-year-old in the stabbing death of an Elgin teen last week, both agencies say the case is not closed.
"Police ... filed misdemeanor charges that were later dismissed due to insufficient evidence," a statement from the state's attorney's office said. "We have been notified that additional information has been provided to the Schaumburg Police Department related to the death of Manuel Porties Jr. The CCSAO continues to support the police as they further investigate this matter, as we continue the work of justice for everyone in our communities."
Schaumburg Police Chief Bill Wolf confirmed his department is ready to share further information at the earliest opportunity, and reiterated its stance that murder charges are appropriate.
Nevertheless, the father of the 18-year-old victim was outraged Friday to hear that even the single charge against the juvenile suspected of wielding the knife had been dropped without his being informed through official channels.
Manuel Porties Sr. has called for stronger charges than the dropped misdemeanor weapons charge. He said Friday he had presumed the boy, whom a bystander's video showed stabbing his son during a fight on Sept. 28, was under some form of house arrest.
"We need to know," Porties Sr. said. "They should have called me and told me this guy was free as a bird.
"This is bigger than my son dying. I want the killer brought to justice. This has to stop. This is political. I want the law changed so that this doesn't happen to anyone else."
Schaumburg police said officers responded to a 911 call about 6 p.m. Sept. 28 regarding two people fighting on the 600 block of Sturnbridge Lane. They arrived to discover Porties Jr. suffering from multiple stab wounds. By that time, the other teen had fled, police said.
Officers and paramedics performed lifesaving measures at the scene, but Porties Jr. died from his injuries at Amita Health Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village.
The suspect had been located by the following morning, when police announced he was in custody and that the state's attorney's office was reviewing the facts of Schaumburg's investigation.
The juvenile quickly was released from custody, police confirmed.