Ismael Moore, a 19-year-old African American male, was tragically killed on April 10, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois. The incident occurred in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, where Moore was standing with a group of people at the corner of North St. Louis Avenue and Ohio Street. According to Cook County prosecutors, LaDarius Howard and Cornelius Valentine exited a stolen car and opened fire on the group. Moore was immediately shot and fell to the ground.
A third, uncharged gunman then approached and shot Moore several more times, ensuring his death.
The shooting also claimed the life of 17-year-old Terrell James Haggins, who was chased and shot multiple times in the face by Valentine after becoming trapped in a yard. Haggins' brother managed to escape the attack. The violence was captured by POD cameras, which recorded the stolen white Honda Accord used by the shooters. The car was later found with two cellphones inside, containing texts and videos that implicated the shooters in the attack.
In August 2020, LaDarius Howard and Cornelius Valentine, both 19 at the time, were arrested and charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated battery with a firearm. They were held without bail and were due back in court later that month. The investigation revealed that the shooting was gang-related, with additional conversations between the shooters discovered through a social media app.
In March 2021, a third suspect, Larryon Brown, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, was also charged in connection with the murders. Brown had been in custody at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center on a separate armed robbery charge when he was charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated battery with a firearm. Brown was identified as the gunman who stood over Moore and fired several more rounds into his body.
The case against the three suspects highlighted the ongoing issue of gang violence in Chicago and the devastating impact it has on the community. The arrests and charges brought some measure of justice for the families of Ismael Moore and Terrell James Haggins, but the loss of these young lives remains a stark reminder of the need for continued efforts to address and prevent such violence.
