Brandon Perez, a 15-year-old Hispanic male, tragically lost his life on December 16, 2022, in Chicago, Illinois. Brandon was a student at Benito Juarez Community Academy. On that fateful day, he was shot and killed outside his high school at approximately 2:45 PM, becoming another casualty of Chicago's pervasive gun violence. The incident occurred shortly after classes were dismissed, and Brandon was standing in a plaza under a bridge that connects two wings of the school.
The shooting also claimed the life of 14-year-old Nathan Billegas, a student at Chicago Bulls College Prep, and injured two other teenagers.
The investigation into Brandon's death led to the arrest of Christian Acevedo, who was 16 years old at the time of the shooting. Acevedo, a former student of Benito Juarez Community Academy, was expelled earlier in 2022 due to behavioral, academic, and attendance issues. On the day of the shooting, Acevedo approached a group of students, including Brandon, and asked if Brandon was affiliated with the La Razz street gang. After a brief exchange, Acevedo walked away but returned moments later and fatally shot Brandon in the head. He then continued shooting, killing Nathan Billegas and injuring two other students.
The motive behind the shooting was gang-related, as Acevedo was a member of the 18th Street Bishops gang. Surveillance footage captured Acevedo on campus and in the nearby neighborhood before and after the crime, although the shooting itself was not recorded. Witnesses identified Acevedo from surveillance images and photo line-ups, and a search of his bedroom revealed multiple firearms, some equipped with devices that allowed them to fire multiple rounds with a single trigger pull.
In June 2024, Christian Acevedo, now 18, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. He was sentenced to 46 years in prison by Cook County Judge Mary Margaret Brosnahan. Acevedo received 20 years for each murder count and an additional six years for the attempted murder charge. He is required to serve the full 40 years for the murder charges and 85 percent of the six-year sentence for attempted murder, ensuring he will spend a significant portion of his life behind bars. The case highlighted the ongoing issue of gang violence in Chicago and the devastating impact it has on young lives and their families.
