A Chicago police sergeant is facing a felony charge after shooting at carjackers who stole her SUV Saturday nigh in suburban Evergreen Park. | Sun-Times file photo
Oneta Sampson Carney, 58, allegedly opened fire Saturday evening when a team of carjackers swiped her Toyota 4Runner as she and her husband were loading groceries in a Sam’s Club parking lot.
A Chicago police sergeant was hit with a felony charge after she allegedly opened fire when a team of carjackers made off with her SUV Saturday evening in suburban Evergreen Park.
Oneta Sampson Carney, 58, was charged with a single count of reckless discharge of a firearm, according to a bond proffer that identifies her as an off-duty Chicago cop.
She was ordered held on $5,000 bail during her initial court hearing Sunday.
About 6:45 p.m. Saturday, Sampson Carney and her husband were loading groceries into her 2016 Toyota 4Runner in the parking lot of a Sam’s Club store at 9400 S. Western Ave., prosecutors said in the proffer. As the 4Runner sat parked with its hatch open, three males approached it.
Two of the suspects asked the couple if they needed help while their accomplice jumped inside the SUV and drove off, prosecutors said. The two others then ran off as Carney Sampson and her husband gave chase.
The driver then stopped as one of his accomplices ran toward the SUV, prosecutors said. That’s when Sampson Carney allegedly fired a single shot using a 9mm handgun that struck the ground behind the SUV as it took off.
At the time, children and other people were present in the parking lot and another vehicle was driving down the same aisle, prosecutors said.
The carjackers “made good on their escape,” prosecutors said, and none of them displayed a weapon or made any threats to Sampson Carney or her husband. The incident was caught on video surveillance.
Sampson Carney called 911 to report the carjacking but didn’t report that she’d discharged her weapon until officers arrived at the scene, prosecutors said. Officers then recovered a shell casing and Sampson Carney’s gun, which was one round short of being fully loaded.
A spokesman for Evergreen Park police didn’t immediately respond to questions from the Sun-Times.
The crime news blog CWB Chicago first reported that Sampson Carney had been charged. The outlet reported that her private attorney announced in court that her client is a 19-year veteran of the police force who currently serves as a sergeant.
Her full name listed in the proffer doesn’t appear in city records, but a sergeant named Oneta Sampson does, earning an annual salary of $118,998.
A police spokesperson said it was unclear whether the department had been informed of the arrest and didn’t respond to questions about the differing names.
Sampson and her attorney, Donna Dowd, didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Investigators believe the stolen SUV was later recovered Saturday night in the Loop, a Chicago police source said.
In that incident, officers observed a white Toyota 4Runner that matched the description of a vehicle that was hijacked in Evergreen Park. The 4Runner ultimately came to a stop after rear-ending another vehicle in the 200 block of West Wacker Drive, Chicago police previously reported.
Six suspects, including a 26-year-old man and five juveniles, were then taken into custody after attempting to flee, police said.
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What was supposed to be an exciting time turned into a terrifying night for the more than 200 people who attended a Halloween party in Joliet Township early Sunday morning.
Two men opened fire on the crowd from an elevated porch, authorities said, unleashing mayhem and prompting partygoers to run for cover.
“Everyone was having a good time, we were back there dancing, and then all of the sudden a group of people just started firing shots, and everyone fell to the floor,” said Adolfo Sandoval, who attended the party.
The area was blocked off by crime scene tape Sunday afternoon when Sandoval returned to search for belongings he lost while running away from gunfire.
“When they started shooting, I felt the ricochet of the bullets and when I started feeling them I pushed my girlfriend to the side and I fell with her,” he recounted. “As I’m getting back up people just started stomping on me, running me over.”
A sergeant with the Will County Sheriff’s Office was nearby at the time and heard between approximately 10 to 12 gunshots. The sergeant responded to the area where the gunfire had been located, and observed more than 100 individuals fleeing the scene, running eastbound on Jackson Street, according to the sheriff’s office.
Officers responding to the scene located numerous victims, and began to perform lifesaving measures and began to treat wounds. While those officers were on the scene, additional gunshots rang out, according to authorities.
Of those injured, four sustained life-threatening gunshot wounds, police stated.
Hours after the frightening situation, Sandoval counted his blessings, knowing the outcome was much worse for so many others.
“I just feel bad for the innocent, innocent people there. It didn’t have to be like that you know what I mean?” he said.
Detectives with the Will County Sheriff’s Office are coordinating with the Will/Grundy Major Crimes Task Force to investigate the shooting.
Officials say that they are searching for at least two shooters. One of the men is described as an Hispanic male with facial hair. The man was wearing a red hoodie, a black flat-billed hat and dark pants. The second shooter was described as an “averaged-sized, light-skinned Black male or Hispanic man,” and was wearing a yellow hoodie and a ski mask.
Anyone with information, cellphone pictures or videos, or potential information on the suspects is asked to call the Will County Sheriff’s Office. Will County officials also have set up an anonymous tip line on their website. Individuals who wish to remain anonymous can also call Will County Crime Stoppers at 800-323-6734.
When Kyle Rittenhouse goes on trial Monday for shooting three men during protests in Wisconsin that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake last summer, he’ll argue that he fired in self-defense.
Legal experts say under Wisconsin law he has a strong case. What’s less clear is whether prosecutors will be able to persuade the jury that Rittenhouse created a deadly situation by showing up in Kenosha with an AR-style semiautomatic rifle — and that in doing so he forfeited his claim to self-defense.
Rittenhouse, 18, of Antioch, Illinois, faces six counts including homicide charges in the Aug. 25, 2020, deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and he could face life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge.
Rittenhouse, then 17, was among people who traveled to Kenosha after calls went out on social media to come bearing weapons to protect the city from damaging protests that followed a white police officer shooting Blake, a Black man, in the back on Aug. 23. (A prosecutor later cleared the officer, ruling that Blake was turning toward the officer with a knife.)
Here’s a look at the legal issues in the Rittenhouse case:
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Rittenhouse case isn’t a whodunit. Bystander video captured most of the shootings.
It shows an unarmed Rosenbaum chasing Rittenhouse into the parking lot of a used car dealership. At one point, Rosenbaum throws a plastic bag at Rittenhouse before the two move off-camera and Rittenhouse fires the fatal shots at around 11:45 p.m.
Soon after, Rittenhouse is seen running down a street away from the scene with several protesters on his heels. He falls. Huber appears to strike him in the head and neck area with a skateboard; Rittenhouse shoots Huber, striking him in the heart.
Seconds later, Gaige Grosskreutz steps toward Rittenhouse holding a pistol. Rittenhouse shoots him, badly injuring Grosskreutz’s arm. Rittenhouse then gets to his feet and leaves the scene.
WHAT DOES THE DEFENSE CLAIM?
Self-defense, pure and simple. Rittenhouse’s attorneys say he came to Kenosha not to hurt anyone but to protect businesses from damage and looting. And they say the people he shot left him no choice.
They’re expected to highlight Rosenbaum’s pursuit of Rittenhouse, and Huber and Grosskreutz subsequently coming at him. The defense has said Rosenbaum and Huber tried to wrest Rittenhouse’s rifle away, leading Rittenhouse to fear he would be shot with his own weapon.
The defense also wants to introduce evidence that police handed water to Rittenhouse and other rifle-carrying citizens, and said, “We appreciate you guys, we really do.” They argue that the friendly greeting contributed to Rittenhouse thinking there was nothing wrong with his presence on the streets that night — and that it undermines any argument that he acted recklessly.
WHAT DO PROSECUTORS SAY?
Rittenhouse’s trip to Kenosha will be a key part of their case. They portray him as a wannabe cop who came looking for trouble and fame, and that by bringing a rifle to the late-night protest, he was the primary cause of the deadly encounters.
They also argue that Rittenhouse wasn’t there to protect businesses but to join other armed counterprotesters with whom he sympathized. Rittenhouse “was the aggressor, there with the intent to violently clash with those opposed to his beliefs,” prosecutors have said.
Prosecutors had hoped to bolster their case by introducing as evidence a brief video taken 15 days before the protest shootings that shows Rittenhouse watching some men exit a CVS pharmacy and commenting that he wished he had his rifle so he could shoot them because prosecutors say he baselessly thought they were shoplifters. Thomas Binger, the lead prosecutor, said it showed Rittenhouse’s mindset as “a teenage vigilante, involving himself in things that don’t concern him.” But Judge Bruce Schroeder questioned the relevance of the video to the charges. He ruled it wouldn’t be allowed, though he suggested he could reassess that ruling later.
Schroeder has also blocked prosecutors from connecting Rittenhouse to the far-right extremist group the Proud Boys. Rittenhouse was photographed in January in a Wisconsin bar with some Proud Boys members, but his attorneys say Rittenhouse had no affiliation or involvement with the group.
WHAT DOES WISCONSIN LAW SAY ABOUT SELF-DEFENSE?
It allows someone to use deadly force only if “necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.” And it sets a two-part test for jurors.
First, they have to decide if Rittenhouse really believed he was in peril. Hindsight may show he was wrong. But did he sincerely believe it at the time?
Next, they must determine if Rittenhouse’s belief was objectively “reasonable.” To make that call, jurors will be instructed to consider whether any reasonable person in Rittenhouse’s shoes would have also felt they had no choice but to shoot.
WHAT OTHER LEGAL FACTORS COME INTO PLAY?
Wisconsin law doesn’t require someone whose life is in danger to flee before shooting. But jurors can consider whether someone tried to move away from danger as they assess the reasonableness of a self-defense claim. Self-defense can’t be invoked by someone if they were an aggressor.
Wisconsin doesn’t have a so-called stand-your-ground law that grants wide-ranging rights for a person to stay put and fend off an attack no matter where it occurs.
Rittenhouse faces two counts of homicide, one count of attempted homicide, and two counts of recklessly endangering safety for firing his gun near people adjacent to those he shot. A successful self-defense argument would seem to apply to all five of counts.
Rittenhouse faces a sixth count, possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18, that the defense unsuccessfully tried to get dismissed. Andrew Branca, a Colorado lawyer who wrote the book “The Law of Self Defense: Principles,” said whether Rittenhouse was legally carrying the gun or not that night shouldn’t factor into his right to self-defense.
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF RITTENHOUSE TESTIFYING?
Defense lawyers normally oppose putting clients on the stand and typically only do so in last-resort bids for acquittals because the risks are too high. But some legal experts say defense calculations change when self-defense is claimed.
Paul Bucher, a Milwaukee-area lawyer and former Waukesha County district attorney, said once jurors hear from the defense that a client feared for his life, they expect to hear straight from the defendant about his or her mindset at the time of the shooting.
Prosecutors would surely welcome the chance to try and rattle Rittenhouse on cross-examination in front of jurors.
HOW DO LEGAL EXPERTS SEE THE CASE?
Under self-defense law and precedent, Rittenhouse’s motives for being in Kenosha are irrelevant to whether he had a legal right to shoot when threatened, some legal experts say. What matters is what happened in the minutes surrounding the shooting, Branca said.
“If I had a 17-year-old-son, I would not encourage him to engage in this kind of behavior. But poor judgment is not a crime,” said Branca, who thinks Rittenhouse has a strong case for self-defense.
Even if it isn’t directly relevant to the self-defense claim, legal experts agreed that the question of why Rittenhouse was in Kenosha will loom over the trial.
“Everybody in that courtroom is going to be thinking he deserved what he got because he put himself in a hostile situation. … ‘What are you doing down there with a gun?’” said Bucher.
Branca said the law and facts should lead to Rittenhouse’s acquittal, but said he’s not sure that will happen.
“Trials are dangerous and unpredictable … and innocent people get convicted all the time,” he said. “So it’s quite possible that Kyle Rittenhouse could be convicted in this case based on that kind of rhetoric, despite the legal merits of the charges.”
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger celebrates after a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth during the second half of Pittsburgh’s win over the Browns. | David Richard/AP
Roethlisberger improved to 24-3-1 in starts against the rival Browns, including 12-2-1 in Cleveland.
CLEVELAND — Ben Roethlisberger handed Cleveland yet another loss, this time on Halloween, as the Pittsburgh Steelers survived losing kicker Chris Boswell for the entire second half in a 15-10 win over the Browns on Sunday.
Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass and rookie Najee Harris had an 8-yard TD run after halftime for the Steelers (4-3), who were handicapped by Boswell suffering a concussion on a blown trick play.
The Browns (4-4) had plenty of chances, but wide receiver Jarvis Landry had a costly fumble and then couldn’t handle two passes from Baker Mayfield in the final 6:04.
Roethlisberger improved to 24-3-1 in starts against the rival Browns, including 12-2-1 in Cleveland. The 38-year-old finished 22 of 34 for 266 yards — 193 in the second half when the Steelers had no margin for error.
With no Boswell, who got hurt when he was drilled by Browns tackle Jordan Elliott after throwing an incomplete pass, influenced Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s play-calling throughout the second half.
Punter Pressley Harvin III is Pittsburgh’s backup kicker, but he was having enough trouble with kickoffs and never even attempted to kick the ball into the sideline net.
Roethlisberger’s 2-yard TD pass — on fourth down — to tight end Pat Freiermuth put the Steelers up 15-10 with 11:04 left. Freiermuth initially bobbled the throw, but secured it and got both feet down in the back of the end zone.
Without his kicker, Tomlin was forced to go for 2 for a second time, but Roethlisberger’s pass was incomplete.
The Browns were in position to potentially take the lead, but the sure-handed Landry was stripped by former Cleveland linebacker Joe Schobert with 6:04 left.
Mayfield, who returned to the lineup this week after missing one game with a left shoulder injury, got the ball back with 4:22 to go. The Browns got to the Steelers 26, but Rashard Higgins was called a false start and Landry, who dropped a pass earlier in the drive, couldn’t secure a high throw on fourth down with 1:53 left.
Pittsburgh then sealed it when receiver Dionte Johnson took a short slant 50 yards and Roethlisberger was able to run out the clock.
As he promised, Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett came in costume — dressed as the Grim Reaper, with his outfit accented by a scythe and the names of quarterbacks he had sacked written on his cape.
Garrett got to Roethlisberger once, but he affected other throws, including a 2-point conversion attempt in the third quarter.
D’Ernest Johnson had a 10-yard TD run for the Browns, who will lament costly mistakes in their first AFC North game this season.
Pittsburgh ended a first half dominated by defense with a trick play that cost them points and Boswell.
After lining up for a 28-yard attempt, Boswell took a direct snap from center and rolled right. Unable to find an open receiver, he threw the ball deep into the end zone before taking a high, hard hit by Elliott near Pittsburgh’s sideline.
Elliott’s shot appeared to be a helmet-to-helmet, which could have resulted in a roughing-the-passer penalty.
INJURIES
Steelers: Boswell has been the NFL’s most accurate kicker since 2019, making 94% (60 of 64) of his attempts. ... There was a chance OT Zach Banner would make his season debut, but the 6-foot-8, 360-pounder was inactive again. He hasn’t played since tearing a knee ligament in the 2020 opener.
Browns: RT Jack Conklin dislocated his left elbow in the second quarter. The team sent out a cart and an air cast was brought out before Conklin walked off, supporting his wrist. He had missed the previous two games with a knee injury. ... S John Johnson III didn’t return after suffered a neck stinger in the first half.
UP NEXT
Steelers: A Nov. 8 Monday night date against the Bears.
Browns: Stay inside the division with a visit to Cincinnati on Sunday.
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Eagles running back Jordan Howard falls into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown run as Lions free safety Tracy Walker III defends. | Paul Sancya/AP
The break gives first-year coach Dan Campbell extra time to figure out how to avoid leading the league’s first 0-17 team after being a tight end on the first 0-16 team in Detroit 13 years ago.
DETROIT — Boston Scott and Jordan Howard each had two touchdowns on the ground, helping the Philadelphia Eagles run over the Detroit Lions in a 44-6 win Sunday.
The Eagles (3-5) ended a two-game losing streak against a team that was very accommodating.
The Lions (0-8) go into their bye week as the NFL’s only winless team. The break gives first-year coach Dan Campbell extra time to figure out how to avoid leading the league’s first 0-17 team after being a tight end on the first 0-16 team in Detroit 13 years ago.
Scott and Howard made the most of his opportunity to fill in for running back Miles Sanders, who went on injured reserve with an ankle injury after he was hurt last week.
Scott broke a scoreless tie late in the first period with a 1-yard run and and Howard’s 4-yard run late in the second quarter put Philadelphia up 17-0. They each had a short touchdown run in the third quarter and finished with 117 yards rushing combined.
Just to make the setback sting a little more for the Lions and their fans, former Detroit cornerback Darius Slay scooped up D’Andre Swift’s fumble and returned it 33 yards make it 38-0 late in the third.
The offensively challenged Lions avoided a shutout midway through the fourth quarter when rookie Jermar Jefferson scored on an 8-yard run for his first NFL touchdown.
Alas, the Lions failed to convert the 2-point conversion as Jared Goff was hit, as he often was by the Eagles from every direction even when they rushed just four against five offensive linemen.
Goff was sacked a season-high five times and finished 23 of 34 for 222 yards. The sixth-year quarterback and many of his teammates made mental mistakes, including when he threw a ball away in the third quarter on fourth down instead of throwing toward a receiver with nothing to lose.
The Eagles didn’t need to pass much to beat Detroit, so they didn’t as Jalen Hurts was 9 of 14 for 103 yards. He ran seven times for 71 of his team’s 236 yards rushing.
DULL ROAR
The Lions gave their fans something to cheer about when former linebacker Chris Spielman was inducted into the Pride of the Lions. The 1991 All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl linebacker now has his name displayed at Ford Field along with 18 other former players, including Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Joe Schmidt.
INJURIES
Eagles: WR Jalen Reagor had an ankle injury in the first quarter on a touchdown drive he boosted with 11- and 10-yard runs on end-around plays.
Lions: RB Jamaal Williams (thigh) and CB A.J. Parker (neck) were inactive.
UP NEXT
Eagles host Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.
Lions have their bye next week and are off until Nov. 14 at Pittsburgh.
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World leaders made a compromise commitment Sunday to reach carbon neutrality “by or around mid-century” as they wrapped up a two-day summit that was laying the groundwork for the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland. | AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
The U.K. is hosting the two-week Glasgow conference and had looked for more ambitious targets to come out of Rome.
ROME — Leaders of the world’s biggest economies agreed Sunday to stop funding coal-fired power plants in poor countries and made a vague commitment to seek carbon neutrality “by or around mid-century” as they wrapped up a Rome summit before the much larger United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
While Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and French President Emmanuel Macron described the Group of 20 summit as a success, the outcome disappointed climate activists, the chief of the U.N. and Britain’s leader. The U.K. is hosting the two-week Glasgow conference and had looked for more ambitious targets to come out of Rome.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the G-20’s commitments mere “drops in a rapidly warming ocean.” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres agreed the outcome was not enough.
“While I welcome the #G20’s recommitment to global solutions, I leave Rome with my hopes unfulfilled — but at least they are not buried,” Guterres tweeted. “Onwards to #COP26 in Glasgow.”
The G-20 countries represent more than three-quarters of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and Britain had hoped for a “G-20 bounce” going into the Glasgow COP26 meeting. Environmentalists and scientists have described the U.N. conference as the world’s “last best hope” for nailing down commitments to limit the global rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial average.
The summit laid bare the divisions that still exist between Western countries that polluted the planet the most historically but are now seeing emissions decline and the emerging economies led by China whose emissions are rising as their economies grow.
Britain pushed for a commitment to achieve climate neutrality or net-zero emissions, meaning a balance between greenhouse gases added to and removed from the atmosphere, by 2050.
The United States and the European Union have set 2050 as their own deadline for reaching net-zero emissions, while China, Russia and Saudi Arabia are aiming for 2060. The leaders of those three countries didn’t come to Rome for the summit.
In the end, the G-20 leaders arrived at a compromise to achieve climate neutrality “by or around mid-century,” not a set year.
Before leaving Rome, U.S. President Joe Biden called it “disappointing’ that G-20 members Russia and China ‘basically didn’t show up” with commitments to address the scourge of climate change ahead of the U.N. climate conference.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not expected to attend the conference in Glasgow, although they are sending senior officials to the international COP26 talks.
“The disappointment relates to the fact that Russia...and China basically didn’t show up in terms of any commitments to deal with climate change. And there’s a reason why people should be disappointed,” Biden said, adding: “I found it disappointing myself.”
Biden comments came in response to a reporter’s question about the modest pledges made during the G-20 summit.
“We made commitments here from across the board in terms of what we’re going to bring to (COP26),” the president said. “As that old trade saying goes, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.”
Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pushed back at the West’s target date.
“Why do you believe 2050 is some magic figure?” Lavrov asked at a news conference. “If it is an ambition of the European Union, it is the right of other countries also to have ambitions....No one has proven to us or anybody else that 2050 is something everyone must subscribe to.”
Italy’s Draghi said the declaration went further on climate than any G-20 statement before it. He noted that it referred to keeping the 1.5-degree global warming target within reach, something that science shows will be hard to accomplish unless the world dramatically cuts emissions from fossil fuels.
“We changed the goalposts,” Draghi told reporters.
Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau said that G-20 leaders were able to get together was in itself a success given the coronavirus pandemic.
“The fact that we have well laid out the table and know where the sharp edges are, and know what work we we’re going to have to do at COP… is a very positive step,” Trudeau said.
The future of coal, a key source of greenhouse gas emissions, also proved one of the most difficult issues on which to find consensus for the G-20.
At the Rome summit, leaders agreed to “put an end to the provision of international public finance for new unabated coal power generation abroad by the end of 2021.” That refers to financial support for building coal plants abroad.
Western countries have been moving away from such financing and major Asian economies are following suit: Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the U.N. General Assembly last month that Beijing would stop funding such projects, and Japan and South Korea made similar commitments earlier in the year.
China has not set an end date for building coal plants at home, however. Coal is still China’s main source of power generation, and both China and India have resisted proposals for a G-20 declaration on phasing out domestic coal consumption.
The failure of the G-20 to set a target for phasing out domestic coal use was a disappointment to Britain. But Johnson’s spokesperson, Max Blain, said the G-20 communique “was never meant to be the main lever in order to secure commitments on climate change,” noting those would be hammered out at the Glasgow summit.
John Kirton, director of the G-20 Research Group at the University of Toronto, said the leaders “took only baby steps” in the agreement and did almost nothing new.
He pointed to the agreement to “recall and reaffirm” their overdue commitment to provide $100 billion in assistance to poorer countries and to “stress the importance of meeting that goal fully as soon as possible” instead of stating that they were ready to stump up the full amount.
The agreement to end international coal financing “is the one thing that’s specific and real. That one counts,” Kirton said.
Youth climate activists Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate issued an open letter to the media as the G-20 was wrapping up, stressing three fundamental aspects of the climate crisis that often are downplayed: that time is running out, that any solution must provide justice to the people most affected, and that the biggest polluters often hide behind incomplete statistics about their true emissions.
“The climate crisis is only going to become more urgent. We can still avoid the worst consequences, we can still turn this around. But not if we continue like today,” they wrote, just weeks after Thunberg shamed global leaders for their “blah blah blah” rhetoric during a youth climate summit in Milan.
Greenpeace Executive Director Jennifer Morgan said the G-20 failed to provide the leadership the world needed. “I think it was a betrayal to young people around the world,” she told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Aside from climate issues, the leaders signed off on a landmark agreement for countries to enact a global minimum corporate tax of 15%. The global minimum is aimed at deterring multinational companies from dodging taxes by shifting profits to countries with ultra-low rates where they may do little actual business.
The leaders also said they would continue work on a French initiative for wealthier countries to re-channel $100 billion in financial support to needier countries in Africa in the form of special drawing rights - a foreign exchange tool used to help finance imports allocated by the International Monetary Fund and also received by advanced countries.
The leaders said they were “working on actionable options” to do that and set the $100 billion figure as a “total global ambition” short of an absolute commitment. Some $45 billion has already been reallocated by individual countries on a voluntary basis.
The commitment reflects concern that the post-pandemic recovery is diverging, with wealthy countries rebounding faster due to extensive vaccinations and stimulus spending.
___ Associated Press writers Jill Lawless and Sylvie Corbet contributed to this report. Aamer Madhani contributed from Washington.
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The Bulls expect Coby White (left) to be back for the regular season. They’re not so sure about Patrick Williams.
Short-term the Bulls might be OK without White and Williams this season, but long-term the injuries they are dealing with are a big step back in their development.
At some point in November, Coby White and his surgically repaired shoulder will be re-evaluated and given an updated timeline.
Maybe December, maybe it will carry on into January, but the guard is expected back at some point in the regular season.
Patrick Williams isn’t as fortunate.
The Bulls power forward had surgery on Sunday to repair torn ligaments in his left wrist, and was given a recovery time of four-to-six months. Best-case scenario, he can make it back late in the regular season, and into the postseason if the Bulls can reach that finish line. Worst-case? His second season is a wash.
That’s a problem currently staring this organization in the face.
The 2021-22 campaign was essential for the continued development of the organization’s last two high first-round draft picks. Spending more time in the training room than on the court was never the plan for White and Williams.
“Anytime you lose good players it’s tough,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. “Both those guys were key pieces going into this year. Coby is obviously going to play this year at some point. Their development, especially with a veteran group, would have been really important. Anytime you lose good players, any team, there’s things you have to overcome.
“The biggest thing is I just don’t know, because I really haven’t seen Coby yet against any contact, how far is he set back in terms of getting back to his normal what he’s been? And did he lose a development piece with this injury and being out so many months. And the same thing with Patrick. Not only is he losing a season, but he’s losing a period to develop.’’
Credit the organization for building a roster in the offseason that can cover up those losses short-term.
The additions of Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso moved White down the depth chart a few spots anyway, while Williams was off to a slow start, and was arguably being outplayed by reserve Javonte Green.
Long-term, however, continuing to develop White and Williams was a high priority for executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas.
That was one of the secret sauces for Denver when Karnisovas was an assistant general manager. Draft smart, but develop smarter.
White was selected No. 7 overall in the 2019 draft, while Williams was No. 4 overall in the 2020 draft. A franchise picking that high can miss on one top 10 pick from a development standpoint, but having the growth of back-to-back top 10 picks stunted in the same season? That’s rough to overcome.
That’s the Bulls’ reality, however.
No wonder Donovan and several veteran players were concerned with Williams’ mindset as he starts the rehab process. Enough so that forward DeMar DeRozan gifted Williams a book called “The Undefeated Mind’’ to help him through the process.
“That book just taught me a lot about just being calm, how to channel my energy, how to stay even-keeled through the ups and downs,’’ DeRozan said. “Understanding that life, you can’t pick and choose when you’re going to have a good or bad day. So when those days come, understanding how to channel your energy. I think it will be something that’s beneficial.’’
As will keeping Williams and White in the same head space. Donovan feels that the two can lean on each other with White finishing up his rehab and Williams in the early stages of it.
“I think we’ve got to as best we can organizationally help those guys get back and utilize this time as best they can,’’ Donovan said. “But it’s certainly not the most ideal situation for their development.’’
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Justin Fields throws against the 49ers on Sunday. | Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Justin Fields finally became what Bears fans had dreamed him to be, looking at times like the fastest and most gifted player on the field Sunday.
The Bears walked onto the field Sunday without coach Matt Nagy and outside linebacker Khalil Mack. They left it with a loss — but also having found a playmaker.
Behind a defense that melted like a caramel apple left out in the sun, the Bears lost 33-22 after leading the 49ers 3-0, 10-3, 13-6 and 16-9 at Soldier Field. They lost their third straight game to fall to 3-5.
But Justin Fields finally became what Bears fans had dreamed him to be, looking at times like the fastest and most gifted player on the field. The rookie quarterback made up for the Bears’ shortcomings — and there are many — and made the home fans gasp with amazement, even if they muttered curse words about the play of a dwindling defense.
Fields went 19-for-27 for 175 yards and a 84.6 passer rating that was almost 20 points higher until he threw his only interception down 11 in the final 90 seconds. He ran 10 times for 103 yards.
His biggest highlight came at one of the game’s most critical moments. On fourth-and-1 at the 49ers’ 22 yard line in the middle of the fourth quarter, acting head coach Chris Tabor — filling in for Nagy, who has the coronavirus — decided to go for it. Fields took the snap from under center and rolled right — and right into the arms of a waiting defensive end Arik Armstead.
Fields hit the brakes, though, and slipped underneath the diving defender. Still seven yards short of the first-down marker, Fields planted his right foot on the right hash and cut left past another diving defender, sweeping toward past the left hash and then outside the numbers.
Left tackle Jason Peters’ backside block gave him room to run up the sideline and, finally, past the first down marker. Darnell Mooney’s block of Josh Norman at the 15 allowed Fields to duck back inside and run, untouched, for the 22-yard touchdown. It was the longest run of his career.
Cairo Santos’ missed extra point meant the Bears were still down one. Five plays later, it’d be eight. Jimmy Garoppolo marched the 49ers down the field in only five plays, capping the drive with a five-yard gain, his second touchdown run of the game. Amazingly, it marked the sixth-straight possession in which the 49ers scored — three first-half field goals followed by three second-half touchdowns. They’d add a seventh, a field goal, to seal the game.
The Bears were up seven in the third quarter when the 49ers, facing third-and-19 from their own 16, decided to throw a simple screen before punting. Deebo Samuel caught the ball on the left flank and sprinted up the sideline for 83 yards before he was pushed out at the 1. Garoppolo tied the game with his first touchdown run and the 49ers never looked back.
The Bears’ offense was efficient — the team didn’t punt until the two-minute mark of the third quarter — but settled for three field goals in their first four possessions. The lone touchdown was an eight-yard dart from Fields, who was rolling left, to diving tight end Jesse James.
Fields was efficient, converting five third downs in the first half alone. He was also flashy; he faced third-and-8 at the 49ers’ 14 on the first drive of the second half when he dropped back and was about to be swallowed up by two of the best defensive players in the NFL.
Fields rolled left, stepped over a diving lunge from Nick Bosa and seemed trapped in by all-pro linebacker Fred Warner, who was rushing from the left. Fields performed a pirouette back toward the middle of the field, throwing his left shoulder backward and spinning, and escaped for a five-yard gain before running out of bounds. Marquise Goodwin was held on the play, too, giving the Bears a first down. Still, they settled for a field goal — an apt finish to a telling drive.
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Justin Fields had arguably his best game as a member of the Chicago Bears, but the team’s defense struggled in the second half as they fell to the San Francisco 49ers 33-22 at Soldier Field.
Justin Fields threw for 175 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 103 yards and another score, but it wasn’t enough as the Bears dropped their third straight game.
Jimmy Garoppolo had a strong day at the office, throwing for 322 yards. He also picked up a pair of rushing touchdowns, leaving a 49ers second half surge that resulted in the team snapping a four-game losing streak.
Deebo Samuel caught six passes for 171 yards, and Mohamed Sanu had three catches for 59 yards.
Darnell Mooney led the Bears with six catches for 64 yards, and Jesse James caught his first touchdown pass as a Bear in the losing effort. Khalil Herbert rushed for 72 yards in relief of Damien Williams, who left the game in the first half with an injury.
Early in the second quarter, the Bears finally put a touchdown up on the board, with an 11-play, 74 yard touchdown drive that ate up nearly six minutes of clock. Fields capped off the drive with a tremendous pass, rolling out to the left and throwing across his body to Jesse James, who made a diving catch to give the Bears a 10-3 lead with 12 minutes to go in the first half.
After Fields’ touchdown pass, the teams began to trade field goals, with each squad picking up a pair of field goals from their kickers. The 49ers got one to end the first half, leaving them down 13-9 at the break, but the Bears responded with another one to start out the third quarter, putting them up 16-9.
The Niners, who had failed to score a touchdown against the Bears in any game since 2015, finally succeeded in that endeavor in the middle stages of the third quarter with a seven play, 75 yard-touchdown drive. Garoppolo did the honors himself, scoring off the left side from two-yards out. Slye missed the extra point to the right, leaving the Bears up by a point.
As the fourth quarter began, the 49ers handed the ball off to Mitchell, and he obliged with an 11-yard run and a five-yard touchdown run on back-to-back plays. The 49ers converted the two-point conversion, giving San Francisco their first lead of the day at 23-16 with 14 minutes remaining in the game.
After Robinson came up short of the line to gain on third down, Fields and the Bears opted to go for it on 4th-and-1. With several 49ers defenders in his face, Fields reversed field and ran up the left side, dodging several tackles and scoring on a remarkable 22-yard touchdown run.
Unfortunately for the Bears, Santos missed the extra point attempt, leaving Chicago trailing 23-22 with 9:32 remaining in the game.
Right after Fields’ incredible touchdown, the 49ers responded by marching down the field and scoring on a five play, 75-yard touchdown drive. For the second time in the half, Garoppolo stormed into the end zone for a rushing touchdown, but the 49ers settled for an extra point kick to go up 30-22, keeping it a one-possession game.
The Bears were forced off the field with a quick three-and-out, with Fields getting enveloped on a sack on third down with less than five minutes remaining in the game.
The 49ers moved the ball back down the field, and although the Bears’ defense stopped them in the red zone, Slye made a short field goal, giving San Francisco a 33-22 lead in the game’s waning stages.
Fields’ deep throw to Mooney was picked off by Josh Norman, sealing the win for the 49ers.
The loss is the third straight for Chicago, leaving them with a 3-5 record on the season. The Bears will have an extra day of preparations in Week 9 as they’ll take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Monday Night Football showdown at Heinz Field on Nov. 8.
A Chicago police officer fired shots at a shooting suspect on the city’s West Side Sunday morning, authorities said.
According to police, the incident occurred in the 3900 block of West Madison at approximately 8:17 a.m. An officer observed a person firing a weapon at the scene.
During the confrontation that followed, the officer fired his gun at the suspect, but did not strike the gunman. The suspect then fled the scene, according to police.
No suspects are currently in custody, and Chicago police are continuing to investigate.
President Joe Biden wrapped up his time at the Group of 20 summit on Sunday trying to convince Americans and the wider world that he’s got things under control — and taking Russia, China and Saudi Arabia to task for not doing enough to deal with the existential threat of climate change.
Biden’s overall take on his efforts: On climate change, he’s got $900 billion planned for renewable energy, and Congress will vote this coming week. On supply chains, he has plans to make the ports run better and tamp down inflation. For workers, he’s building an economy with pay raises. On diplomacy, world leaders trust him.
But he also acknowledged what he can’t yet achieve: bringing Russia, China and Saudi Arabia to the table with the broader international community to limit carbon emissions and move to renewable energy.
In a news conference Sunday, the U.S. president spelled out his belief that all politics is personal and that what progress was achieved at the Rome summit came from direct interactions with other leaders.
“They know me. I know them,” Biden said of his fellow G-20 leaders. “We get things done together.”
“We’ve made significant progress and more has to be done,” Biden added. “But it’s going to require us to continue to focus on what Russia’s not doing, what China’s not doing, what Saudi Arabia’s not doing.”
For all the challenges confronting him, the president attempted to stay optimistic. As Biden departed the news conference, he offered a thumbs up when asked if West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema — key Democratic votes — were on board with his $1.75 trillion spending package for families, health care and renewable energy. The president also shrugged off his recent decline in the polls, saying that numbers go up and down.
As for the potential significance of Biden’s thumbs-up on congressional negotiations, White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, said, “As the President said during the press conference, he is confident we are going to get this done and the thumbs up was simply a visual restatement of that.”
But the policy issues also seemed to fade for Biden when asked about his time Friday with Pope Francis. The president became deeply emotional, his hands appearing to fiddle with the mask he wore as a precaution because of COVID-19. He spoke of how the pope comforted the Biden family in a Philadelphia airport hangar after the death of his son, Beau, in 2015.
“When I won, (Pope Francis) called me to tell me how much he appreciated the fact that I would focus on the poor. focus on the needs of people who are in trouble,” Biden said. “He is everything I learned about Catholicism from the time I was a kid going from grade school to high school.”
The president did leave the G-20 with commitments by his fellow leaders on a global minimum tax that would make it harder for large companies to avoid taxes by assigning their profits to countries with low tax rates. He announced new funding to improve ports and shipping, in addition to a conference next year on supply chains. He patched up differences with the European Union on tariffs and differences with France on the sale of a nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.
The president met Sunday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose office said the meeting was held in a “positive atmosphere” despite tensions over human rights and Turkey’s purchase of a Russian missile system, among other issues.
Biden heads Monday to the U.N. climate summit in Scotland, where he’ll once again face questions about whether the world’s wealthiest are doing enough to stop the warming of the Earth by moving away from fossil fuels. The president on Sunday dismissed the contradiction that he’s fighting for climate change while also asking oil-rich countries to increase their production in order to lower gasoline prices for U.S. commuters.
“The idea that we’re not going to need gasoline for automobiles is just not realistic,” Biden said. “It has a profound impact on working-class families, just to get back and forth to work. So I don’t see anything inconsistent with that.”
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields has hit some speed bumps during his tenure with the team, but the rookie pulled off an incredible play during Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers that will likely feature prominently in his personal highlight reel for the remainder of his career.
Fields was under center in the fourth quarter of the game when he faced a 4th-and-1 play at the San Francisco 22-yard line. After the snap, Fields tried to roll to the far side of the field, but faced a wall of 49er defenders.
Undeterred, Fields reversed course, heading up the near side of the field and scampering 22 yards for the touchdown, sending shockwaves through Soldier Field.
The play was, without a doubt, extraordinary:
Fields ended the day with 278 all-purpose yards, throwing for a touchdown and rushing for another in one of his best performances as a professional.
Unfortunately for the Bears, it wasn’t enough to snap their brief losing streak, which now stands at three games after a 33-22 loss to the 49ers.
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Is it OK to go trick-or-treating during the pandemic?
It depends on the situation and your comfort level, but there are ways to minimize the risk of COVID infection this Halloween.
Whether you feel comfortable with your children trick-or-treating could depend on factors including how high the COVID-19 transmission rate is in your area and if the people your kids will be exposed to are vaccinated.
But trick-or-treating is an outdoor activity that makes it easy to maintain a physical distance, notes Emily Sickbert-Bennett, an infectious disease expert at the University of North Carolina. To prevent kids crowding in front of doors, she suggests neighbors coordinating to spread out trick-or-treating.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says outdoor activities are safer for the holidays, and to avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces. If you attend a party inside, the agency says people who aren’t vaccinated — including children who aren’t yet eligible for the shots — should wear a well-fitting mask, not just a Halloween costume mask. In areas with high COVID-19 transmission rates, even the fully vaccinated should wear masks inside.
It’s generally safe for children to ring doorbells and collect candy, since the coronavirus spreads mainly through respiratory droplets and the risk of infection from surfaces is considered low. But it’s still a good idea to bring along hand sanitizer that kids can use before eating treats.
For adults, having a mask on hand when you open the door to pass out candy is important.
“You probably won’t necessarily know until you open the door how many people will be out there, whether they’ll be wearing masks, what age they’ll be, and how great they’ll be at keeping distance from you,” Sickbert-Bennett says.
Another option if you want want to be extra cautious: Set up candy bowls away from front doors.
Luis Robert’s car will stand out on the road. | Nam Y. Huh/AP
The outfielder puts his love of anime on display.
The White Sox’ Luis Robert is an anime fan, and his car reflects that.
TMZ Sports reported that Robert hired Alex Vega of Miami’s The Auto Firm to cover his Lamborghini in a wrap featuring the anime series Naruto. The flashy artwork also glows in the dark.
Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III (9) rushes against Michigan’s Josh Ross during the first quarter of Saturday’s game. Michigan State won 37-33. | Al Goldis/AP
Georgia is a unanimous No. 1 for the fourth straight week.
Michigan State moved up to No. 5 in The Associated Press college football poll and Wake Forest became a top-10 team on Sunday for the first time in school history.
Georgia is a unanimous No. 1 for the fourth straight week in the AP Top 25 presented by Regions Bank. The rest of the top four was unchanged from last week, with Cincinnati at No. 2, Oklahoma at No. 3 and Alabama at No. 4.
Star running back Kenneth Walker and the Spartans jumped three spots by beating Michigan in the weekend’s biggest game. The last time Michigan State broke into the top five was 2015 when the Spartans made the College Football Playoff.
The first CFP selection committee rankings of the season will be released Tuesday night.
In the AP poll, Ohio State slipped a spot to No. 6 despite holding off Penn State and Oregon was No. 7.
No. 8 Notre Dame, Michigan and Wake Forest rounded out the top 10.
POLL POINTS
The Demon Deacons have their best ranking in program history, topping the No. 11 they reached in 1947. Wake Forest had been the only team in a Power Five conference that had never been ranked in the top 10.
The Demon Deacons reached another first on Saturday, improving to 8-0 with a victory against Duke.
IN
— No. 20 Houston is ranked for the first time under coach Dana Holgorsen after handing SMU its first loss of the season. The last time the Cougars were in the Top 25 was 2018.
Houston is the 45th different team to appear in the Top 25 this season.
— No. 24 Louisiana-Lafayette is back in the Top 25 after being in the preseason poll and falling out after losing its opening game.
— No. 25 Fresno State also returned to the rankings after handing San Diego State its first defeat in a crucial Mountain West game.
OUT
— Pittsburgh dropped from No. 17 to out after losing at home to Miami.
— Iowa State is out again after losing at West Virginia. The Cyclones jumped back into the rankings last week, but it turned out to be a brief stay.
— San Diego State fell out after a four-week run.
CONFERENCE CALL
Two Power Five leagues, the Atlantic Coast Conference and Pac-12, have just one ranked team while two from the Group of Five, the American Athletic Conference (three) and Sun Belt (two), have multiple teams ranked.
SEC — 6 (Nos. 1, 3, 12, 13, 15, 18).
Big Ten — 5 (Nos. 5, 6, 9, 19, 22).
Big 12 — 3 (Nos 4, 11, 14).
American — 3 (Nos. 2, 20, 23).
Sun Belt — 2 (Nos. 21, 24).
Mountain West — 1 (No. 25).
ACC — 1 (No. 10).
C-USA — 1 (No. 16).
Pac-12 — 1 (No. 7).
Independents — 2 (Nos. 8, 17).
RANKED vs. RANKED
No. 12 Auburn at No. 13 Texas A&M. Third time the Tigers and Aggies have met while both are ranked since A&M joined the SEC in 2011.
THE TOP 25
1. Georgia 8-0
2. Cincinnati 8-0
3. Alabama 7-1
4. Oklahoma 9-0
5. Michigan St. 8-0
6. Ohio St. 7-1
7. Oregon 7-1
8. Notre Dame 7-1
9. Michigan 7-1
10. Wake Forest 8-0
11. Oklahoma St. 7-1
12. Auburn 6-2
13. Texas A&M 6-2
14. Baylor 7-1
15. Mississippi 6-2
16. UTSA 8-0
17. BYU 7-2
18. Kentucky 6-2
19. Iowa 6-2
20. Houston 7-1
21. Coastal Carolina 7-1
22. Penn St. 5-3
23. SMU 7-1
24. Louisiana-Lafayette 7-1
25. Fresno St. 7-2
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Jon Bon Jovi performs with his band in 2018 at Chicago’s United Center. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
The pop star, 59, canceled a Florida show after testing positive.
Rocker Jon Bon Jovi canceled a concert on Saturday in Miami Beach, Florida, after learning he has COVID-19.
The musician, 59, had been scheduled to perform an “acoustic storyteller performance” at a Runaway Tours event at Loews South Beach.
A rep for Bon Jovi confirmed that the rocker had tested positive and that he’s “fully vaccinated and feeling fine.”
Would-be audience members were told of Bon Jovi’s diagnosis by brother Matt Bongiovi prior to the show. “There was a lot of disappointment from the fans but understanding that Jon’s health is more important,” said fan Kerry Splitter.
A reporter posted a video of a masked Bon Jovi leaving what appeared to be a hotel lobby on Saturday. The show was part of the Runaway Tours “Halloween Weekend Getaway.”
The coronavirus has previously hit close to home for the members of Bon Jovi. Band members David Bryan and Everett Bradley both tested positive for COVID-19, and Bon Jovi’s son, Jake, also had a coronavirus scare.
In turn, Bon Jovi became the rock ‘n’ roll epicenter in the battle against COVID. When a group of Chicagoans wanted to unify the city with a city-wide sing-along from their window as a way of showing solidarity while Illinois was in a “stay at home” order due to the pandemic, Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” was the song they chose.
Jon Bon Jovi is scheduled to receive an Intrepid Lifetime Achievement Award on Nov. 10 at the Salute to Freedom Gala, which will take place on the U.S.S. Intrepid in New York City.
Former Boston Red Sox player and broadcaster Jerry Remy, wearing an oxygen tube, throws a ceremonial first pitch earlier this month at Fenway Park. Remy died of cancer on Oct. 30, 2021. He was 68. | Charles Krupa/AP
Remy was a former smoker who had a yearslong battle with lung cancer, including surgery for the disease in November 2008. His struggle with the illness was well known to baseball fans.
BOSTON — Jerry Remy, a Boston Red Sox second baseman who went on to become a local icon as a television broadcaster, has died of cancer. He was 68.
The Red Sox confirmed that Remy died on Saturday night. He had a long and public struggle with lung cancer, and drew thunderous applause at Fenway Park earlier this month when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a playoff game while using an oxygen tube.
Remy was a former smoker who had a yearslong battle with lung cancer, including surgery for the disease in November 2008. His struggle with the illness was well known to baseball fans. Support from Red Sox fans helped him as he underwent years of treatments for the disease, he told reporters in 2018.
“It’s amazing the impact that you have when you’ve been around 31 years. That you have on people,” he said. “Red Sox fans especially, who welcome you into their home for that long. It’s kind of a nice feeling. It’s kind of a nice feeling that they care.”
Remy had spent 10 seasons in the majors — the first three with the California Angels and the last seven with Boston — before retiring after the Red Sox released him on Dec. 10, 1985. Remy hit .275 with seven homers and 329 RBIs in 1,154 games.
But it was as a Red Sox announcer, a job he began in 1988, that he captured the hearts of fans. Combining sharp analysis and a sense of humor that sometimes led to long, on-air bouts of laughter involving him and former Boston play-by-play announcer Don Orsillo, Remy gained a legion of listeners.
Remy “left an indelible mark on this club and on an entire nation of Red Sox fans,” Red Sox principal owner John Henry said in a statement Sunday.
“He devoted his entire career to baseball and whether from his seat in the clubhouse or his perch above the field in the broadcast booth, he took generations of rising Red Sox stars and a multitude of fans along for the ride with him,” the statement said.
Known as “RemDawg” by generations of New Englanders, Remy was elected by fans as first president of “Red Sox Nation” late in the 2007 season. The club had decided to capitalize on the passions of followers who were known by that name by creating a formal fan club.
Born in Fall River, Mass., and raised in nearby Somerset, Remy returned to his local team after three seasons with the Angels in which he hit .258 while averaging 148 games a year. He was traded to the Red Sox on Dec. 8, 1977 for pitcher Don Aase and cash, became a free agent on Nov. 13, 1981 and re-signed with Boston on Dec. 8, 1981.
Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, who played with Remy in Boston, remembered his former teammate on Sunday as a “very, very hard worker” and a good friend.
“He made himself an outstanding player. He carried those same work habits over to the broadcast booth,” Yastrzemski said in a statement.
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Police in suburban Flossmoor say that at least four people were shot just after midnight Sunday in what authorities believe was an isolated incident.
According to authorities, officers were called to a home in the 3800 block of Ballantrae Way just after midnight for reports of a disturbance and shots fired.
When officers arrived on scene, they discovered four gunshot victims at the residence. Officers and paramedics provided first aid, and the four victims were transported to local hospitals.
There was no immediate update on the condition of the individuals.
Officials believe that the shooting was a targeted and isolated incident, and that no threat to the public exists at this time.
No suspects are currently in custody, and police are asking residents to provide any information to the department at 708-957-4500.
Over a dozen people were shot, two of them fatally, at a Halloween party early Sunday in Joliet Township. | Adobe Stock Photo
Gunfire erupted early Sunday near a DJ booth that was set up in the backyard of a home, authorities said. Witnesses reported that two gunmen opened fire “from an elevated position on a porch looking down over the crowd” of more than 200 people.
More than 12 people were wounded, two of them fatally, in a shooting early Sunday at a Halloween party in Will County, authorities said.
The shooting erupted about 12:40 a.m. near a DJ booth that was set up in the backyard of a home in the 1000 block of East Jackson Street in Joliet Township, according to a statement from the Will County sheriff’s office. Witnesses told detectives that two gunmen opened fire “from an elevated position on a porch looking down over the crowd” of more than 200 people.
A patrol sergeant who was in the area heard as many as 12 gunshots ring out near Jackson and Walnut streets and began investigating, the sheriff’s office said. The sergeant then saw over 100 people rushing east on Jackson, and he was directed to the home.
Police officials ultimately found over a dozen people suffering from gunshot wounds in the backyard and at nearby residences, the sheriff’s office said. As authorities were investigating, additional shots were heard in the area.
Two of the victims succumbed to their wounds, while four others suffered injuries that were thought to be life-threatening, the sheriff’s office said. Those who died hadn’t been identified by Sunday morning because their families hadn’t yet been notified.
One of the suspected shooters was described as a Hispanic male with facial hair and a medium build who was seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, a black flat-billed hat and dark pants, the sheriff’s office said.
The other suspect, who donned a ski mask, was described as a male — possibly Hispanic or Black of a light complexion — with a medium build, the sheriff’s office said. He was seen wearing a yellow hooded sweatshirt.
The sheriff’s office is seeking further assistance identifying the shooters. Anyone with information, including cellphone photos or video of the party, should contact Detective Danielle Strohm at (815) 727-8574 or dstrohm@willcosheriff.org. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can submit a tip to the sheriff’s office’s website or contact Will County Crime Stoppers at (800) 323-6734 or its website.
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A longtime theater instructor has been removed from Jones College Prep, located in the Loop, while officials investigate misconduct allegations made by drama students. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Jones College Prep theater teacher Brad Lyons is on leave while the school district investigates.
A longtime theater instructor has been removed from one of Chicago’s top high schools while officials investigate misconduct allegations made by drama students who were upset over the teacher’s handling of a play they found to be offensive.
The controversy at Jones College Preparatory High School boiled over with the cancellation of the drama club’s fall show. Students complained of a script they felt made light of sexual assault victims and contained inappropriate language and stereotypes that made cast members uncomfortable. Their concerns, they said, led their teacher to angrily cancel the play rather than consider changes they suggested.
From there, students made public several additional allegations unrelated to the play they believed showed their teacher’s inappropriate behavior beyond this single incident. Those accusations include repeated offensive comments by the teacher; sending a student to buy him cigarettes, and texting students, which since 2018 has been against district rules save a few exceptions.
Facebook
Brad Lyons
A Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman wouldn’t say which specific complaint led to the instructor’s suspension with pay, only that the district “has opened an investigation into allegations of misconduct” at the school.
“Whenever students express concerns, we work to create individualized plans to support them, and we will continue to work closely with parents and students to ensure the school is a safe and welcoming environment for all students,” the district said.
Reached by phone, the teacher, Brad Lyons, said on the advice of the teachers union he was declining to comment. Lyons has worked at Jones since 2010 and makes $88,031 a year.
A Chicago Teachers Union spokeswoman said in a statement, “Our highest responsibility as educators is to protect students’ safety and well-being. ...We are in the process of reviewing the circumstances at Jones, and we are committed as a union to providing a welcoming and nurturing environment, free of racism and discrimination.”
The play in question, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised],” is a satirical show that has been frequently performed around the world as a comical, fast-paced interpretation of all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays.
Written in the 1980s, however, its script includes material the students at Jones believed was inappropriate for them to act out. One scene features a girl who had been sexually assaulted, and her tongue cut out and hands chopped off. She joined her father to “cook the rapist and serve him to his mother at a dinner party,” speaking with a lisp and holding a bowl with her “two stumps” to represent not having a tongue or hands.
“The show and its content has some very, very outdated themes and material,” said Mila Mussatt, the drama club president and a senior at Jones. “A lot of jokes and comments around rape victims and a lot of very racist comments, as well. A lot of stereotypes that just made our cast very uncomfortable.”
Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Mila Mussatt, 17, a senior at Jones College Prep stands in front of her school on Oct. 21.
Mussatt said the cast and crew didn’t want to cancel the play — they preferred to suggest script revisions that could keep the comedic value while removing questionable elements.
“He got very upset, and he basically said, ‘Nothing’s funny, everything’s offensive, the play is canceled,’” Mussatt said. “He stormed out of the meeting . . . The environment that’s been created does not make it feel safe for people to bring forward their concerns.
“I don’t think censoring the material is the solution,” she said. “I think having discussions about issues with the material and acknowledging the problems is the best way to move forward. We should be able to take what we can from scripts and add onto them and realize, ‘Hey, this is a problematic thing . . . This is not acceptable today, but we can still enjoy it as a piece of art.’”
A CPS spokesman said the district offers theater guidelines as it does with all subject matters, but each school is left to choose the material it feels suits it best.
Principal: ‘Creative differences’ derailed play
After news of the incident spread around the school, Jones Principal Joseph Powers told families in an email the play was “cancelled due to what could be described as creative differences around changes to the script and its content. The cancellation came in an abrupt manner that left many confused and hurt.”
Powers wrote he met with staff and students, and “we collectively came to a resolution.” But he added “everything is not perfect,” and the administration was “still looking into some concerns that were expressed.”
Four days later, a statement from the about 30 students in the play made clear the situation had not been resolved and said Powers’ email “deeply sanitized the events.”
“Jones students have not felt safe in the drama program for a long time,” the statement read.
Mussatt, the drama club president, said Lyons has called her and other students some of the inappropriate words and slurs mentioned in the group’s statement, such as “whores,” “c----,” “b------.”
Mussatt said Lyons seemed to believe he could say those words in a sort of friendly, joking manner with students, not as a harsh insult. But the effect was the same, she said.
“All the time,” she said when asked how often he used that language. “It has gotten so normalized.”
Another student, a 2019 graduate who asked not to be named, described a time when Lyons was reading a script that repeatedly used a slur against people with intellectual disabilities.
When students would skip the word, he questioned why nobody was saying it. But when the alum, who was in his class at the time, asked him to stop because she had a disabled family member and took offense to the slur, Lyons kept saying the word “to instigate me,” the former student alleged.
When it came time for auditions for the school’s 2018 fall play, Lyons wrote into the script a caricature where an Asian American student had to speak in a stereotypical accent, four people said.
One student, who asked to remain anonymous, said they were one of two Asian American students Lyons directed to speak in the mock accent.
“I was like, ‘I don’t really think I can do that,’” the student said. “And he said, ‘Just try your best.’ . . . I wasn’t the most comfortable, but I did it anyway.”
The other person ended up getting the part and performed the accent all through rehearsals and eventually in front of sold-out crowds.
The student didn’t know of anybody from the school administration questioning the accent until this past April, two years after the play, when assistant principal Eric Mitchell emailed the student asking for details.
“I was reaching out because I was wondering if you’d be willing to share some information about Mr. Lyons,” Mitchell wrote. “It was brought to my attention that during your time with the production of ‘Metamorphosis’ you may have witnessed Mr. Lyons using Asian accents or maybe some other inappropriate actions. I was hoping you might be able to share with me what you recall.”
Another time in 2018, the student was cleaning up the theater shop when Lyons walked up.
“He comes up to me, and he’s like, ‘Aren’t you supposed to be good at cleaning? You’re Asian,’” the student claimed. “And I was just like, ‘I don’t know how to respond to that.’”
That school year, during rehearsals for the musical “Spamalot,” Lyons regularly referred to “CPT” or “colored people time,” according to a person who was in the room when he allegedly made the comments and requested anonymity.
“He’d be like, ‘OK kids, we’re going to take a 15 minute break. Be back, but this isn’t CPT. You know what CPT is, right? Colored people time,’” the witness said.
Mussatt and two other people also alleged Lyons frequently texted students and interacted with them on Facebook, methods of communication that in recent years have been banned by CPS as it attempts to cut down on the potential for inappropriate connections between staff and children.
And Mussatt said she witnessed Lyons send a student to buy him cigarettes using a fake I.D. card and bring them back through a back door without going through the school’s security.
Four people at the school said administrators were at minimum generally aware of inappropriate behavior by Lyons for at least two years, including some specific allegations. But other than the one student being asked about the Asian accent, none knew of any investigations or discipline.
“It’s really disappointing to me that the kids are the ones that had to bear this emotional weight and do so much carrying and work when administrators possibly could have stopped this before,” said a staff member who requested anonymity out of fear of backlash from the school.
Asked about concerns with the administration’s handling of student complaints, Powers wrote in an email to the Sun-Times that school leadership “maintains an ‘open door’ policy,” and “personnel matters are addressed promptly and in keeping with the policies and procedures required by the” district.
A CPS spokesman declined to comment, citing a pending investigation, when asked if the district was looking into the Jones administration’s handling of complaints or whether officials have previously been forwarded allegations from the school.
Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Jones College Prep located at 700 South State Street, in The Loop neighborhood.
Local School Council raises concerns
Cassie Creswell, a Jones mother and the chair of the Local School Council, read excerpts from the student group’s statement at the public October LSC meeting, a recording of which was posted online.
In an interview, Creswell said she wouldn’t discuss personnel issues but she believed it was the LSC’s role to determine whether the concerns raised by the drama students were part of a larger problem at the school.
“This is a really distressing incident to hear about as a parent and an LSC member, but it’s even more concerning that I think it’s part of a pattern of systemic discrimination at the school and that we have an issue with fulfilling our students’ civil rights,” said Creswell, who has been a frequent critic of the district on issues of equity and digital privacy.
Creswell said she wasn’t pleased with the Jones administration’s handling of the situation, particularly Powers’s email describing “creative differences.” She noted the school has spent about $65,000 on anti-racist professional development in the past year and wondered whether that has made an impact.
“I have a lot of questions about whether the administration is sufficiently responding to biased-based behavior at the school,” Creswell said. “Given the continuous reports from students that they don’t feel like harm is being dealt with at the school . . . I think there’s a big issue. We need answers as an LSC, for sure.”
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