Feb. 15--A Riverdale man has been charged in the January shooting death of a 14-year-old junior high school student.
According to Cook County prosecutors, Terry Johnson, 21, and another person shot and killed Rashad Oliver on Jan. 25 because Johnson wanted revenge for being shot by a member of a rival gang last year.
Johnson, a member of a faction of the Black Disciples street gang, had been shot last year by a member of the FEB street gang, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Jonathan Hwang said in bond court Saturday.
Johnson, who is on parole for residential burglary in a 2011 case, and another gang member drove into FEB territory last month, looking for revenge, Hwang said. It could not immediately be determined if anyone else has been arrested in the slaying.
"They saw the victim exit a house that the defendant thought was affiliated with the FEB gang," Hwang said. Johnson and the other person "were both armed and began to shoot multiple times at the victim."
Rashad was shot once in the head in the 14300 block of Dearborn Street in Riverdale, blocks from his home, and died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
At the time, witnesses said they heard gunshots and saw Rashad lying on the ground. Dolton-Riverdale District 148 Superintendent Jayne Purcell told the media that Rashad was a well-liked, popular boy who made other students laugh.
Hwang said that when Johnson and his fellow gang member returned from the shooting they were heard bragging about what had happened. He said Johnson also bragged on social media.
Prosecutors are still awaiting ballistics results to determine whether Johnson or the other person may have fired the fatal shot.
Hwang declined to answer questions about the whereabouts of the other attacker, saying only that the second person had not yet been charged.
Johnson's lawyer, Toya Harvey, said her client "has not been convicted of anything" related to the slaying.
"At this point, he is cloaked with the presumption of innocence," Harvey said.
Judge Laura Sullivan set Johnson's bond at $1 million, meaning he will have to post $100,000 to be released.
