Latest news with #CharlesLeto
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Man charged in Douglass Park shooting that killed one is linked to prior self-defense claim in shooting of dogs
For the second time in three years, Charles Leto has claimed he opened fire in self-defense. Over the weekend, prosecutors say, he shot at three unarmed teenagers in Douglass Park, killing a 15-year-old boy and seriously wounding a 14-year-old in a crowded park during a summer evening. More than two years earlier, he shot two dogs in Lakeview, killing one and sparking a response by a Chicago Police SWAT team, according to an attorney for the Douglass Park victims. The tragic shooting was decried as 'senseless' by a relative of one of the boys, and prosecutors alleged that nothing backs up Leto's claim of self-defense. On the contrary, they said, his account is disputed by witnesses and surveillance video. Leto, 55, was arrested over the weekend after the shooting early Saturday night near the Douglass Park pool. He was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and two other felonies, which Leto, a Chicago Park District lifeguard, claimed to police had been in self-defense after the boys attacked and followed him. During his initial court appearance on Sunday, Leto, who had a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card and Concealed Carry License, was ordered held pending trial. Witnesses said the two boys approached the man as part of a group as he was fixing his bike near the park fieldhouse and that the man took a gun out of his backpack and fired two shots, according to a CPD report. The older teen, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's office as 15-year-old Marjay Dotson, was shot in the lower right back and pronounced dead around 7:40 p.m., while the younger teen was shot in the neck and taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition, police said. Asked about the case and the prior dog shooting, Leto's attorney, Jayne Ingles, said in a statement to the Tribune: 'Charles Leto is a Marine veteran who served his country. He was a dedicated advocate for preserving Douglass Pool as an important community resource. We are committed to ensuring that his actions are understood in full context and that his rights are protected as this matter proceeds.' Two years earlier, Leto was involved in the dog shooting in the Lakeview neighborhood, according to Jeffrey Neslund, an attorney for the families of the two teens. In February 2023, a woman was with her two unleashed dogs in the alley of the 1000 block of West Oakdale, authorities said at the time. When a man entered the alley, the dogs advanced on him 'in an aggressive manner.' He drew a gun and fired at both dogs, killing one of them. A prolonged barricade situation followed as a CPD SWAT team responded to the scene. Leto was not cited or charged in that shooting. This time, surveillance footage contradicted his self-defense claim, according to prosecutors. 'He claimed he was attacked by two juveniles and that he was being followed by two kids,' according to a proffer. 'He claimed that one juvenile lunged at him and he fired in self defense.' But the investigation turned up different accounts, according to the proffer. Around 7 p.m., the pool closed, and Leto went to retrieve his bike, according to the proffer. The bike had been moved from where it was parked near the pool and left up some stairs. There is no information that indicates any of the teens had moved the bike, according to the proffer, but Leto nonetheless got into an argument about the bike with one of the teens. Afterward, Leto walked his bike on the sidewalk, flipped it upside down and then began rummaging through his backpack, the proffer said. Meanwhile, the three teens also walked down the sidewalk. Investigators interviewed witnesses, none of whom reported that the teens threatened Leto. The boys were unarmed, according to the proffer. As one of the teens walked past Leto along the sidewalk and as another reached toward the bike, the proffer alleged, Leto aimed a pistol and shot, hitting one of the teens in the lower back. The teen had been turning away from Leto, the proffer said. Leto then turned and fired shots at the two other teens who were 'the grassy area at a distance from the defendant,' the proffer said. One of the teens was shot and the other put his hands up and walked backwards away from Leto. He was not struck. Leto then called 911 and said he was 'attacked by children at the park,' the proffer said. Inside Leto's backpack were two magazines, a Kevlar panel and a satellite phone, according to the proffer. Over the weekend, the teen wounded in the Douglass Park shooting was identified by his family as Jeremy Herred, whose great-great uncle, the Rev. Marvin Hunter, called the gunfire 'senseless.' 'It's a sign of the times in which we live,' he said. 'And I'm praying that people will reverse their attitude as it pertains to conflict resolution and violence,' Hunter said Saturday. Herred is a relative of Laquan McDonald, whose murder by Officer Jason Van Dyke in 2014 helped expose foundational problems with policing in Chicago. Herred remained hospitalized in critical condition, the family said. 'No weapon — the weapon at home in a lock box, secured — and my nephew would not be wounded and fighting for his life,' Hunter said. 'And Marjay, the other young man, would not be dead.'
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Neighbor says Chicago lifeguard charged with shooting 2 teens, killing 1, also shot 2 her dogs in 2023
A Chicago Park District lifeguard charged in a shooting that killed one teenage boy and wounded another in Douglass Park last week has been tied to a shooting in the past, CBS News Chicago has learned. Charles Leto, 55, was ordered held in First Appearance Court on Sunday on one count each of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated discharge of a firearm. He is charged in the shooting this past Thursday evening that killed 15-year-old Marjay Dotson and seriously wounded 14-year-old Jeremy Herred this past Thursday in Douglass Park in the North Lawndale neighborhood. Jeremy is the cousin of Laquan McDonald, who was shot and killed by police in 2014. Marjay Dotson and Jeremy Herred Supplied to CBS Prosecutors said Leto opened fire on the teens following a quarrel with a third teenage boy identified as "Victim 3" after Leto found his bicycle had been moved. There was no evidence that the people who moved the bike were the teen victims in the case, nor that the teenage boys threatened Leto or were armed, prosecutors said. Jacqui Korvas-Michels said when Leto was her neighbor two years ago, he shot both of her dogs — killing one and injuring the other — in her alley next to her garage in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Jacqui Korvas-Michels says Charles Leto shot her two dogs, killing one, in Lakeview in February 2023. Jacqui Korvas-Michels Korvas-Michels said she was taking out the trash when Leto walked out of his apartment, saw her two dogs, walked back inside, grabbed a gun, and came out firing at the animals. "Don't you think there is something wrong with someone who keeps shooting people, and dogs?" Korvas-Michels said. "God know what else he's gotten away with." CBS News Chicago did a story on the case back in February 2023, and on how a SWAT team came to look for the shooter after he walked away. "SWAT came, FBI," Korvas-Michels said. "We had helicopters." CBS News Chicago reported at the time that the SWAT team was on the scene for five hours in the area of Seminary Avenue and George Street — first identifying the man now identified as Leto and then trying to make contact with him, and he was cooperative once they did so, police said. The standoff caused alarm and panic in the surrounding neighborhood, with some picturing an active shooter situation. Ultimately, police said when they found the man now known to be Leto, he told officers he had shot the dogs in fear for his life, CBS News Chicago reported at the time. He was not charged or cited. "He said he felt threatened," said Korvas-Michels. Over the weekend, Korvas-Michels saw the police photo of Leto, now facing charges in the shooting in Douglass Park. Korvas-Michels said when she saw Leto's mug shot, she saw "a crazy person." Video now shows Leto this past Thursday evening, on what seemed like a quiet day after the pool had closed for the night. Kids could be seen playing basketball in the background when gunfire erupted. Before the gunfire erupted, Marjay walked past the Leto along the sidewalk, while Victim 3, still on the grassy area, reached toward Leto's bike, prosecutors from the Cook County State's Attorney's office said. At that point, Leto stood up and aimed a gun at Marjay, who was turning away from Leto at the time, prosecutors said. Leto fired one shot at Marjay, striking him in the lower back, prosecutors said. Marjay fell to the ground. Leto then turned to his left and fired at Jeremy and Victim 3, who were in the grassy area some distance away, prosecutors said. Victim 3 put his hands in the air and walked backward, while Jeremy walked backward as well, prosecutors said. Jeremy was struck in the neck and fell to the ground. Marjay later died of his wounds. Jeremy was hospitalized in critical condition with life-threatening injuries to his neck — with the bullet having shattered his vertebrae and severed an artery that brings blood to his brain, prosecutors said. "He needs help getting off high things," said Korvas-Michels. "He needs assistance." Korvas-Michels showed how her surviving dog, Oakie, can barely walk after suffering gunshot wounds in the 2023 incident involving Leto. He has gone through numerous surgeries. "They had to reconstruct part of his paws, and close up the gunshot wounds, and teach him how to stand. The man should not be able to have a conceal and carry," Korvas-Michels said. "I feel sad. I'm at a loss. It's not going to bring it back, and I feel horrible for these families." Korvas-Michels claimed that in the process of shooting her dogs, Leto also pointed the gun right at her. CBS News Chicago has been looking into Leto's background. But there is no record on a background check of the case of the shooting of the two dogs, because Leto was not charged with or convicted of any crime. CBS News Chicago was waiting late Monday to hear back from the Cook County State's Attorney's office with questions on that shooting.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Chicago Park District lifeguard ordered held in shooting that killed 1 teen, critically wounded another
A Chicago Park District lifeguard was ordered held until trial Sunday on charges stemming from shooting two teenagers — one of them a cousin of Laquan McDonald — near the Douglass Park swimming pool on Thursday. Charles Leto, 55, appeared in First Appearance Court on Sunday on one count each of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated discharge of a firearm. He is charged in the shooting that killed 15-year-old Marjay Dotson and seriously wounded 14-year-old Jeremy Harred this past Thursday. Jeremy's family confirmed that he is the cousin of Laquan McDonald, who was shot and killed by police in 2014. In a proffer, Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Danny Hanichak said the swimming pool at Douglass Park, at 1401 S. Sacramento Blvd. in the North Lawndale neighborhood, closed a 7 p.m. Thursday. Prior to the pool closing, some people had taken Leto's bike from where it had been parked in the pool area and had left it up some nearby stairs, prosecutors said. There was no evidence that the people who moved the bike were the teen victims in the case, prosecutors said. Leto got his bike after the pool closed, and got into a quarrel with a 15-year-old boy about the bike, prosecutors said. This quarrel lasted only about 30 to 45 seconds and was not physical, prosecutors said. After the quarrel, Leto walked his bike up the sidewalk, prosecutors said. He went on to stop and flip the bike upside-down, took off his backpack, knelt down, and began rummaging through the backpack, prosecutors said. While looking through the backpack, Leto looked at the 15-year-old boy with whom he'd had the quarrel, along with the two boys identified as Marjay and Jeremy — who were all walking down the same sidewalk, prosecutors said. Numerous witnesses were interviewed, and none said the three teenage boys threatened Leto, prosecutors said. Witnesses also said none of the three teenage boys had a weapon, prosecutors said. The three victims walked closer to Leto, prosecutors said. The teen from the earlier quarrel — identified only as "Victim 3" by prosecutors — was walking behind Marjay and Jeremy, prosecutors said. All three victims walked into the grassy area off the sidewalk, prosecutors said. Marjay walked past the Leto along the sidewalk, while Victim 3, still on the grassy area, reached toward Leto's bike, prosecutors said. At that point, Leto stood up and aimed a gun at Marjay, who was turning away from Leto at the time, prosecutors said. Leto fired one shot at Marjay, striking him in the lower back, prosecutors said. Marjay fell to the ground. Leto then turned to his left and fired at Jeremy and Victim 3, who were in the grassy area some distance away, prosecutors said. Victim 3 put his hands in the air and walked backward, while Jeremy walked backward as well, prosecutors said. Jeremy was struck in the neck and fell to the ground. Victim 3 was not struck by gunfire, prosecutors said. Marjay later died of his wounds. Jeremy was hospitalized in critical condition life-threatening injuries to his neck — with the bullet having shattered his vertebrae and severed an artery that brings blood to his brain, prosecutors said. The incident was captured on video, but audio was not included, prosecutors said. Leto himself called 911, claiming he had been attacked by children at the park, prosecutors said. He waited for police to come, and when police did come, witnesses on the scene pointed Leto out — and officers arrested him, prosecutors said. When interviewed by police, Leto claimed he was attacked by two juveniles and was being followed by two kids, prosecutors said. Leto claimed one juvenile lunged at him and he fired in self-defense, prosecutors said. Leto had a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card and Concealed Carry permit, and he had two firearm magazines, a Kevlar panel, and a satellite phone in his backpack, prosecutors said. At the hearing Sunday, an assistant Cook County public defender said Leto is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran served in a combat deployment and is trained in firearms. He worked in the banking industry until 2022, and had been working full time for the Park District for two years since retiring, the assistant public defender said. The assistant public defender claimed that Leto denied some teens entry to the pool because they didn't have a parent with them, and said the teens became very angry and threatened to "mess up" Leto. The assistant public defender said while closing the pool, Leto was confronted by 10 teenagers who were harassing, threatening, and following him — one of them took his bike. The assistant public defender said the chain fell off Leto's bike and he put it upside-down to work on it, and the teens kept following him even after he ran from them at least three times. The assistant public defender claimed that Leto was in a vulnerable position on the ground with one of the teens calling him curse words when he pulled out his gun and shot the teen. But prosecutors said video footage obtained in the case contradicts Leto's story. Prosecutors said there was no group of 10 teens, and no evidence of what the victims yelled at Leto. Prosecutors said what was shown was Leto blocking the sidewalk while the teens walked around the area — with no reports that they were threatening. Cook County Criminal Court Judge Luciano Pacini Jr. said based on the evidence, he had a hard time believing Leto waws trying to protect himself. The judge also said it was unreasonable for Leto to take out a gun and fire when he was not attacked, and noted that Leto opened fire in a crowded park with other families nearby. Pacini also said as a Marine Corps veteran with firearms training, Leto should have known better to deescalate the situation. The judge ordered Leto held in custody. Marjay and Jeremy's families were present in court Sunday. In a statement issued Saturday, an attorney for the boys' families said, "There is no justification or excuse for this heinous criminal act by an employee of the Chicago Park District." "While no amount of justice can ever restore Marjay's life or fully heal Jeremy's wounds, the families take solemn relief that the justice system is now engaged with the announcement of criminal charges against the shooter," attorney Jeff Neslund said. "They stand firm in their belief that through the diligent work of prosecutors and the courts, justice will be served. In this time of collective heartbreak, the families extend their gratitude to the first responders, including local football coaches at the park, all the medical care providers, the Chicago Police Department, and community members who have shown compassion and solidarity."
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Chicago Park District lifeguard charged with killing teen, shooting cousin of Laquan McDonald near Douglass Park pool
Gunman in deadly shooting at Douglass Park might be Chicago Park District employee, sources say Gunman in deadly shooting at Douglass Park might be Chicago Park District employee, sources say Gunman in deadly shooting at Douglass Park might be Chicago Park District employee, sources say A Chicago Park District lifeguard has been charged with murder and attempted murder, after shooting two teenagers – including a cousin of Laquan McDonald – near the Douglass Park swimming pool on Thursday. Charles Leto, 55, has been charged with one count each of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated discharge of a firearm. The Chicago Park District has confirmed Leto is a Park District employee, and a Chicago Fire Department source has confirmed he is a lifeguard. Police have said two teenage boys, ages 14 and 15, were in the park around 7 p.m. Thursday near the pool and basketball court in the 1500 block of South Sacramento Street, moments after the pool closed, when Leto shot them. The 14-year-old was shot in the neck, and the 15-year-old was shot in the back, police said. Both were taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition. The family of the 14-year-old confirmed that he made it out of surgery, but is still fighting for his life. They also confirmed that he is the cousin of Laquan McDonald, who was shot and killed by police in 2014. The 15-year-old later died. He has been identified as Marjay Dotson by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. A Chicago Fire Department source said Leto is a Chicago Park District lifeguard who was fixing a bike before he sprang up and began shooting. What caused him to shoot remains unclear. Mayor Brandon Johnson, Park District Superintendent Carlos Ramirez Rosa, and Ald. Monique Scott met with staff and campers at the park Friday morning. The Park District released a statement saying in part: "The Chicago Park District is deeply saddened by the tragic shooting that occurred at Douglass Park. We continue to cooperate with the Chicago Police Department as they conduct their active investigation. The Park District has made the decision to close Douglass Park pool today out of care and respect for the park staff and community members impacted by yesterday's events. The District is working with the Chicago Department of Public Health to offer crisis support services to the park staff and residents of the surrounding community." Leto was due to appear in court on Sunday. The video above is from a previous report.
