Marjay Dotson, a 15-year-old Black male, was shot and killed on the evening of June 26, 2025, near the Douglass Park pool in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood. According to prosecutors and multiple reports, a Chicago Park District lifeguard, 55-year-old Charles Leto, confronted teens by the pool area shortly after closing while he was dealing with his bicycle. Moments later, Leto pulled a handgun from a backpack and opened fire.
Dotson was struck in the back as he ran and was pronounced dead around 7:40 p.m. at the scene. A second teen, 14-year-old Jeremy Herred, was shot in the neck; a third teen was allegedly fired upon but not hit. Surveillance video and witness accounts described by prosecutors indicate the teens were unarmed and contradict Leto’s claim that he acted in self-defense.
Leto was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and multiple counts of attempted murder in the shooting. He was identified publicly as a Park District employee; officials said he had passed background checks, though subsequent reporting noted a history of altercations on the job despite no formal complaints. The Park District launched an internal review and later announced reforms following the incident.
In the weeks that followed, Dotson’s family and community gathered for his funeral on July 9 at Healing Temple Church, while attention turned to the condition of Herred, who survived but was later reported to be paralyzed and dependent on a ventilator as he prepared to move to a rehabilitation facility. Families of the two teens also filed a civil lawsuit related to the shooting as the criminal case against Leto proceeded.
Authorities have not named any other suspects in Dotson’s death. As of the most recent reports, Leto remains the sole defendant, facing murder and attempted murder charges tied to the June 26 shooting.
