Chicago

Teen Charged in Murder of Chicago Police Officer's Son

"We promised we'd never stop & we didn't," Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted

A teen has been charged in the killing of a Chicago police officer's son, who was fatally shot last summer on the city's South Side, just hours before family members said he was scheduled to return to college. 

Anthony Moore, 18, was charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 19-year-old Arshell Edward Dennis, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted Friday morning

"We promised we'd never stop & we didn't," he wrote. 

Dennis was fatally shot on Aug. 14 while sitting with two other men in front of his family's home in the 2900 block of West 82nd Street in Chicago's Wrightwood neighborhood. Police say a suspect approached the pair around 12:04 a.m. and opened fire, authorities said, striking Dennis in the chest. 

A 20-year-old man sitting with Dennis was critically injured in the shooting, according to police. 

Both men were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where Dennis was pronounced dead.

Family members said Dennis, who was known as Trey, graduated from Urban Prep Academy in 2014. He was home visiting his mother, who had been sick, before starting his junior year studying journalism at St. John's University in New York. He was scheduled to fly to New York City later that day to return to school. 

Dennis was the son of Chicago Police Officer Arshell Dennis.

"Every officer in this department took this murder personally," Supt. Eddie Johnson said Friday with Sgt. Dennis by his side. "And we vowed not to stop until we found his killer. Today, I am pleased to announce that we have apprehended and charged that individual." 

Commander Brendan Deenihan said investigators believe the shooting happened because Moore though the younger Dennis and his friends were in an opposing gang, though they were not. 

"This touches home a little bit more, but detectives work every case this way," Deenihan said. 

He added that Moore allegedly made several "third party statements" admitting his role in the killing. Authorities also claimed to have video and phone data evidence in the case. 

Johnson said Moore's arrest "should come as no surprise to anyone."

"This is not his first go around with the criminal justice system," Johnson said.

"The vast majority of people who pulled the trigger in this city are not new to the criminal lifestyle. Even if they have never used a gun before, they have made decisions in their life that have lead them up to that point." 

Sgt. Dennis did not speak during the announcement, other than to thank his fellow officers for their work in the case. 

"It's a deep loss," Dennis' grandfather said soon after the teen's death. "It hurts and I wish some of this senseless killing would stop."

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