Willie Goins, a 38-year-old man from Englewood, Chicago, was tragically killed on July 6, 2020, in the South Shore neighborhood. Goins was in a Chevy Malibu with another man when another vehicle drove up and someone inside opened fire. Goins suffered a gunshot wound to the body and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The other man, also 38 years old, was hit in the thigh and taken to the same hospital in fair condition.
Following the shooting, three individuals were arrested and charged in connection with Goins' death. Kesean Reese, 19, was charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Reese was arrested on December 8, 2020, and was ordered held without bail. Additionally, Dionte Sims, 27, and Lorenzo Burns, 33, were also charged with first-degree murder and held without bail. Prosecutors alleged that Reese fetched and hid at least one of the guns used in the shooting, while Sims and Burns were the ones who actually fired the shots.
The investigation revealed that the shooting was motivated by a personal dispute. Goins' friend, who was in the car with him, was dating Sims' ex-girlfriend, who also had a child with Sims. On the night of the shooting, Sims and Burns were waiting for Goins and his friend to leave their apartment to go to dinner. When Goins' friend asked Sims if he was trying to "get into it" over a woman, Sims responded negatively, and the situation escalated from there.
The case against Reese, Sims, and Burns continued to unfold in court, with Reese being due back in court on December 30, 2020, and Sims and Burns scheduled for court appearances in January and February 2021, respectively. The tragic death of Willie Goins and the subsequent legal proceedings highlighted the ongoing issue of gun violence in Chicago and the complex personal disputes that often lead to such violent outcomes.
