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Witnesses recall gunfire, vehicle speeding off after teen killed in Des Plaines

Des Plaines police continue to investigate the killing of a 16-year-old boy found shot to death Sunday night on a residential street just west of the city's downtown.

Officers responding to a report of shots fired at 9:32 p.m. found the boy lying in the 1300 block of Perry Street with multiple gunshot wounds, police said. Lifesaving attempts by Des Plaines firefighter/paramedics were not successful and the boy died from his injuries.

The Cook County medical examiner's office on Monday identified the victim as Justyce Broadway-Williams of Des Plaines. He lived near the shooting scene, according to the medical examiner. Police previously had identified the boy as a Chicago resident.

Police said the shooting appears to be an isolated event and there is no threat to the public.

Residents who live near the shooting scene recalled hearing several gunshots followed by a vehicle speeding away.

"There were two quick gunshots and then four additional gunshots," said Alex Beck, who lives on Perry Street. "I got up and looked out the window and there was a car coming the wrong way down Perry. The police came up to the building and told everybody to stay inside if they could."

"This is a safe area," he added. "You can go to the corner and you can see the police station. It's weird that this happened right here."

Jeremy Daniel said he was inside his home when he heard gunshots. At first he believed they were from a cop show he was watching on television, but he quickly realized it was real gunfire just outside his residence. He poked his head out of his window and then looked out his door.

"I saw a body in the street, closed the door real quick and called 911," he said.

Marie Thomas, who lives in a building near the shooting scene, said she had to get permission from police to leave the block to go to work. She said police told her the killing was a retaliation from another shooting.

"I'm real worried, because I work overnight," she said.

  Des Plaines police officers responding to a report of shots fired Sunday night in the 1300 block of Perry Street found a 16-year-old boy in the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The boy later died from his injuries. Steve Zalusky/szalusky@dailyherald.com
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