Teen Charged After Fatal Marketplace Robbery Attempt in Cicero
Teen Charged Following Deadly Online Marketplace Meetup in Cicero
On Wednesday at about 3:20 p.m., police in Cicero, Illinois, responded to a report of a shooting in the 1300 block of South 58th Avenue in the west suburban community.
According to police, two teens had arranged to meet in Cicero earlier in the week for the sale of an item through a social media marketplace. A man related to the teen who was selling the item waited nearby in a car during the planned transaction.
Struggle Leads to Exchange of Gunfire
Police reported that the sale did not occur as planned. As the teen selling the item walked away from the meeting, a third teen approached and engaged in a struggle with the seller over the item. During this confrontation, the seller's relative exited the car.
Officers said the teen who was attempting to steal the item shot the seller's relative twice. The wounded man had his own gun and returned fire, striking the teen who was trying to rob his relative. Police later determined that the teen attempting the theft and the teen who had arranged to buy the item had planned a robbery.
Injuries, Death, and Hospitalization
The seller's relative was transported to Loyola University Medical Center. Police stated that his condition was stabilized at the hospital. The teen who had tried to rob the seller subsequently arrived at Rush Oak Park Hospital, where he died from his injuries, according to police.
Armed Robbery Charge Filed Against Teen
On Thursday, investigators announced that the teen who had been attempting to buy the item was charged as a juvenile with armed robbery. Police said their investigation led them to conclude that this teen and the one who initiated the shootout had coordinated a robbery during the online marketplace meetup in Cicero.
Authorities said that court information for the charged teen was not immediately available. Police also stated that their investigation remains open as they review data from phones and social media connected to the incident. They added that individuals selling items through social media can use police stations as safe locations to complete transactions with strangers.