A Chicago man was ordered held on pre-trial detention Monday, charged in the death of an Elgin teen who was gunned down in October as we walked near the United Center headed to a Lil Durk concert.
Deron Wolfe, 19, of the 1800 block of West Adams in Chicago, is charged with first degree murder in the Oct. 20 shooting death of Jess Kendall, an 18-year-old Elgin High School senior.
Wolfe appeared before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Shauna Boliker at the Leighton Criminal Court Building at 26th Street and California where she ordered him held in jail on pre-trial detention. His appearance came days after a warrant had been issued for his arrest in connection with the shooting.
According to court documents, Kendall was with four other friends as they walked in the 100 Block of North Wolcott Avenue in Chicago, right near the United Center. They had just parked their vehicles and were headed to the venue for a concert featuring rapper Lil Durk.
“Within seconds,” the group of friends was approached by four offenders who were each dressed in all-black clothing and had ski masks on their faces, according to court documents. They each allegedly had a firearm.
The alleged offenders pointed guns at Kendall and his friends and demanded the groups’ belongings. After robbing the group of cell phones, vehicle keys, lip gloss, wallets and more, one offender wanted the passcode to one of the heisted phones, according to prosecutors.
Kendall spoke up and advised the robbers to leave – and he, himself, began to walk away, according to prosecutors. But Kendall was followed by one of the offenders, who “then began to pistol whip” the Elgin teen.
Kendall fell to the ground, and the offender’s gun fell too, prosecutors explained. But Kendall was able to pick the gun up. The other offenders jumped in and there was a struggle over the firearm. The friends with Kendall “then fled and as they did did, they heard gunfire.”
The friends knocked on doors to nearby homes and were eventually let inside and 911 was called, according to prosecutors.
Police arrived on the scene and found Kendall on the sidewalk, shot multiple times, according to authorities. He was taken by ambulance to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead several hours later.
The shooting left Kendall’s family devastated, his mother said.
“He truly was the light in my life, as are his brothers,” Doris Kendall said about her son.
Court documents state that shell casings from both 9mm and .40 caliber handguns were recovered at the scene.
Police were told about another person shot during the incident and he was located blocks away. That turned out to be Wolfe, and he had sustained at least one gunshot to his stomach. When police searched him, prosecutors said, one of the stolen items was found.
A 15-year-old who is believed to have been part of the armed robbery crew was also shot in the incident, according to prosecutors.
It was not until Oct. 25 that Wolfe regained consciousness at Stroger hospital where he had been transported, prosecutors said. An investigation continued, leading to an arrest warrant being issued for Wolfe on Jan. 29.
Court documents indicate he was taken into police custody Jan. 31.
Jess Kendall “was my baby,” his mother said. “He had his landscaping business, he loved to detail cars. … I told him, ‘Jess, there are not a lot of people your age who have achieved so much.’”
School District U-46 issued a statement about the teen’s death. And district officials said counseling and support services were provided to help students and staff deal with what happened.
Kendall’s father, Gary, posted a Facebook message about his son a day after the shooting.
“Words can’t describe anything right now,” the post read. “I lost a piece of my self last night rest in peace and sleep well Jesse.”
Courier-News freelancer Gloria Casas contributed.
