Anthony Scott, a 24-year-old African American male, was tragically killed on January 15, 2017, in Melrose Park, Illinois. The incident occurred around 2:40 p.m. when police received a call reporting drug activity near 12th Avenue and Winston Drive. Shortly after, a 911 call was made from a home in the 1200 block of Winston Drive, reporting that a person had been shot inside the residence.
Upon arrival, officers found Anthony Scott with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene by the Cook County medical examiner's office. Another individual at the scene suffered a minor gunshot wound to the head.
The investigation revealed that the shooting was likely related to a drug deal. During the course of the investigation, three men were arrested. Dante Ricciardi, 26, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Joshua Felton, 28, faced charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful possession of a controlled substance by a felon. He was held on a $100,000 bond. The third individual, Ulises Vences, 30, was returned to the custody of the sheriff's office to await trial for a 2015 charge of being an armed habitual criminal. Vences was under house arrest and lived in the block where the shooting occurred.
Anthony Scott's death deeply affected his family and community. His uncle, Ken Scott, described him as a fun-loving individual who enjoyed music and was the life of the party. Anthony had a six-month-old son, also named Anthony, and was looking forward to raising him. He was close to his sister, and they referred to themselves as twins despite being a couple of years apart. Anthony worked at a factory, played basketball, and collected shoes in his spare time. His family was devastated by his death and called for an end to gun violence, emphasizing the need for common-sense gun laws.
