Jun 3, 2009 5:47 pm US/Central
Bond Denied For Suspects In Officer's Murder
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Shawn Gaston (left), 20, and Kevin Walker, 21, are charged with the murder of Chicago Police Officer Alejandro Valadez on June 1, 2009.
CBS
Bond was denied today for two young men charged with the murder of Chicago Police Officer Alejandro Valadez.
Shawn Gaston, 20, and Kevin Walker, 21, appeared for a bond hearing at noon in Violence Court (Br. 66) at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse, 2600 S. California Ave. A judge denied bail for both defendants.
Police say Gaston admitted to pulling the trigger in the shooting that killed Valadez, and Walker admitted to driving the getaway car after the drive-by shooting.
Responding officers learned that the men were inside a blue 2007 Pontiac G6 — a four-door sedan — that was positively identified as being the vehicle used in the shooting of Valadez, according to a police report. The vehicle was found by police just 20 minutes after the shooting.
Police said three guns were recovered inside the car, including what they believe was the murder weapon. The weapons were found in the trunk.
Valadez's shooting happened just after midnight Monday in the 6000 block of South Hermitage Avenue as the officer, who wore plain clothes, was responding to a report of shots fired and a person with a gun, Police Supt. Jody Weis said during a news briefing earlier Monday.
A vehicle with "more than one individual'' inside went by and fired several rounds at the officer, striking the officer once in the leg and once in the head, Weis said. Valadez's partner was with him, according to Weis.
He was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital of Cook County.
Both suspects have criminal backgrounds.
Walker served 63 days in jail and is still on two years' probation after pleading guilty in January 2008 to felony attempted armed robbery and aggravated unlawful restraint. He has also been charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass, gambling, and underage possession of liquor over the past five years, but those charges were all stricken.
Gaston has a long criminal record, but never served time in jail or prison. Over the past three years, he has been charged with misdemeanor cannabis possession seven times. One of those times, he pleaded guilty and received three months' court supervision and a $189 fine. The other six times, the charges were stricken.
Gaston also pleaded guilty in January 2007 to misdemeanor possession of an unregistered firearm, and received a $189 fine and probation. In July 2007, he was sentenced to community service and probation for felony unlawful use of a weapon.
CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman asked State's Attorney Anita Alvarez why the system hasn't done more to keep Gaston off the streets.
Alvarez didn't directly answer, but she did say that legislation she pushed targeting gang members with gun offenses got shot down in Springfield. She called for tougher gun laws citing this case and the two young suspects.
"They had three guns in their vehicle, not one but three guns in their vehicle," Alvarez said. "Two gang members and three guns."
Her team says ballistics show a bullet from one of those guns took the life of police officer Alejandro Valadez.
And tests show the accused triggerman Shawn Gaston had gunshot residue on his hand.
"In an instant the senseless actions of two individuals changed our lives forever," Weis said.
Police Superintendent Jody Weis, too, called for tougher gun laws.
Considering neither suspect graduated from high school, CBS 2 asked if this went beyond guns.
"Education is a very strong component but at the end of the day you have individuals that used weapons to kill a police officer," Weis said.
The question still, though, is why?
CBS 2 went to the neighborhoods of the accused to try and speak with their families and friends. No one wanted to talk with us.
Off-camera one woman said it's just so sad; her community, the very one where Valadez died, is one officers want to work in and work for.
"We'll keep fighting it down there," Weis said. "We have to reach out to the community and make sure that we have their confidence and trust."
He says community and witness cooperation led to swift action in what could be a death penalty case.
Both suspects Gaston and Walker are charged with first degree murder. Bond was denied for both men.
The public defender says the accused gunman has two children. The fact that his alleged crime has left them without a father figure is all part of what Weis called a vicious cycle.
The wake for Officer Valadez will be held on Friday, June 5 at Blake and Lamb Funeral Home at 4747 W. 103rd Street in Oak Lawn, Ill. from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The funeral will be held on Saturday, June 6 at St. Bede Church at 83rd and Kostner in Chicago, Ill. at 10 a.m.
CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman and Dan Blom, and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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