Five charged in slaying of teen shot while playing basketball updated

Metcalfe Park was supposed to be a safe haven for Darius “Bay Bay” Brown.

It was the 13-year-old’s recreational sanctum — named after an African-American athlete and politician — where Darius could shoot hoops and effortlessly prove why he was known in the neighborhood as a “mini-Derrick Rose.”

But on Aug. 3, Darius was gunned down when a volley of shots aimed at a gang member pierced his back as he fled a pickup basketball game in a panicked rush.

Friday, officials announced charges against five people allegedly connected to the teenager’s murder in the park at 42nd and State streets.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel called Darius’ mother earlier in the day to inform her of the arrests — which she called “bittersweet.”

“We’re getting one step closer to bringing his death to justice,” Stephanie Brown said after three men and one woman appeared before a pair of Cook County judges.

“There’s a long road ahead of us. This is just the beginning.”

Darius was an innocent bystander caught in a heated, ongoing feud between two factions of the Gangster Disciples, authorities stressed Friday. The intended target, who the killers thought was responsible for a young woman’s murder days before, was at Metcalfe Park when the gunfire erupted, police said. Detectives said they are looking for at least one other suspect.

“It is unthinkable that a child can’t play in a park without worrying about mindless criminal actions of others,” said Tom Byrne, the police department’s chief of detectives.

The day of the shooting, Aramis Beachem — a father of two with a third on the way — was apparently looking for a rival gang member he believed killed a fellow gang member’s sister, assistant state’s attorney Thor Martin said

Beachem, 22, supplied a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun used in the murder and followed a carful of his accomplices to the park in his girlfriend’s white Nissan Altima, Martin said.

Vito Richmond, 17, allegedly shot a .380 caliber handgun at least four times toward Darius and others in the park from the other car. That weapon was provided by 29-year-old Clarence Whitelow, Byrne said.

Another gunman traveling with Richmond fired the .45 caliber weapon five times, Martin said. Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil ordered Beachem, of the 3600 block of South Michigan, held on $2.5 million bail for Darius’ murder. Richmond, of the 4400 block of South Shields, was ordered held on $2 million bail for the murder.

Beachem, a barber known as “Ace,” and Richmond allegedly admitted their roles in the fatal shooting.

In a separate courtroom Friday, Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Whitelow, of the 3600 block of South Michigan, held in lieu of $100,000 bail for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

And 21-year-old Michelle Lawrence, of DeKalb, was ordered held on $10,000 for insurance fraud.

While he would not reveal many details, Byrne said Lawrence’s car was used in the shooting and that she later made a false insurance damage claims for her vehicle.

Another man, 18-year-old Jamal Streeter, of the 10000 block of South Lowe, was also charged with murder. He did not appear in court Friday.

Beachem has prior convictions for aggravated robbery, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and possession of a controlled substance.

Richmond, a high school junior, has tattoos of the Grim Reaper and others that say, “God,” “Son” and “Grandma,” according to a police report.

After prosecutors detailed the shooting Friday, Darius’ family said they continue to mourn the little boy who slept beneath a poster of Bulls star Derrick Rose and dreamt of playing in the NBA.

“It’s been hard. We’re just trying to support each other the best we can,” Stephanie Brown said.

Darius’ grandmother also expressed sympathy for the families of those charged in her grandson’s murder.

“These are human beings. And these young men have mothers, fathers and family also,” Mary Ellis said.

The Rev. Michael Pfleger, whose St. Sabina community put up a $5,000 reward for information on Darius’ murder, said he passed along several leads to police, and is awaiting word from detectives if a tipster is eligible.

Pfleger, who lost a foster son in a still unsolved murder, said he spoke with Darius’ mother after the arrests.

“You never get over losing a child, but at least there’s the peace of knowing that the person is not on the street to kill someone else — because if you kill once, you’ll kill anybody,” he said.