Good afternoon, Chicago.
A judge sentenced a man to 20 years in prison today after he pleaded guilty to murder in the 2022 slaying of an 8-year-old girl who was shot while crossing the street with her mother in Little Village. Xavier Guzman pleaded guilty in 2023, but received his punishment after the case against his co-defendant, Emilio Corripio, 20, resolved with a guilty plea in March.
On Jan. 22, 2022, Melissa Ortega walked hand-in-hand with mother around West 26th Street and South Pulaski Road when, according to prosecutors, Corripio fired shots after seeing a gang rival flash a hand sign. Corripio then got into a car driven by Guzman to buy sandwiches and drinks without “a care in the world,” prosecutors said at a 2022 hearing.
Then 16 and on juvenile probation, Corripio was a self-admitted member of the Latin Kings who opened fire in broad daylight at rival Two-Six gang members. He hit his target, but he also shot Melissa in the head.
Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History
Plainfield man sentenced to 53 years in prison for hate crime that left 6-year-old Palestinian American boy dead
A Will County landlord was sentenced 53 years in prison Friday for the murder of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and the attempted murder of the boy’s mother in October 2023, an attack a jury found to be a hate crime spurred by the war in Gaza. Read more here.
More top news stories:
- Gov. JB Pritzker mocks his weight, tells TV host Jimmy Kimmel he’s undecided on third term
- Group opposing Mayor Brandon Johnson and allies raises $10 million, progressives decry ‘sucker politics’
- 17 students injured in school bus collision on Southwest Side, police say
Elgin mayor says he doesn’t support closing $1.2M budget hole by swapping state grocery tax for local one
As communities around the state debate whether to replace the state’s soon-to-end grocery tax with one of their own, Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain said he’s not in favor of the swap to fill the $1.2 million budget gap the tax loss will create. Read more here.
More top business stories:
- Midwest carbon dioxide pipeline could face new hurdle
- Wall Street gains ground following a stronger-than-expected report on the US job market
The 1st Negro National League game was played 105 years ago today — and Chicago played a part
It was a long fight for Black baseball players to be treated with respect. We see the results of that battle for athletic equality today, and Chicago was involved in a turning point more than a century ago. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
- Kentucky Derby: How to watch, the favorites and what to expect in the 151st running of the race
- Kentucky Derby field reduced to 19 with scratch of Grande, leaving owner ‘shocked and confused’
- Gregg Popovich, the NBA’s all-time wins leader, retires after 29 seasons as San Antonio Spurs coach
Denzel Washington, left, and Jake Gyllenhaal participate in the curtain call for the Broadway opening night of William Shakespeare’s “Othello” at the Barrymore Theatre on Sunday, March 23, 2025, in New York. (Photo by CJ Rivera/Invision/AP)
What the Tony nominations got right — and wrong
Pity poor Jake Gyllenhaal. Rich, original and cliché-free, his riveting, Tony Award-worthy Iago was, in fact, as dynamic and distinctive a Shakespearean performance as Broadway has seen in years. And yet the show that surrounded him, “Othello” starring Denzel Washington, was so otherwise dismal that Tony nominators could not see beyond the noise and confusion to find the one living, breathing reason to spend the big bucks at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
A cautionary tale: Do great work in a bad production and Tony nominators likely will pass you by. But the reverse can be true, too. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
- Lucy Dacus at the Chicago Theatre: Understated and personal to the point of feeling muted
- Ruth Buzzi, comedy sketch player on groundbreaking series ‘Laugh-In,’ dies at 88
- Prince Harry loses appeal to restore his UK government-funded security detail
Drones strike ship carrying aid to Gaza, organizers say
Drones attacked a vessel carrying aid to Gaza while it was in international waters off Malta on Friday, the group organizing the shipment said. A fire broke out but was brought under control, according to authorities. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world:
