An 18-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a young man who was the godson of a prominent Chicago pastor.
The suspect, who was a juvenile at the time of the shooting, is accused of shooting 21-year-old Christion Tucker on Aug. 24, 2024, in South Washtenaw Avenue in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood.
Tucker was the godson of Corey Brooks, lead pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and the CEO of the nonprofit Project HOOD, which stands for "Helping Others Obtain Destiny."
The suspect was taken into custody last week in North Larrabee and scheduled to appear at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse for a detention hearing, Fox 32 Chicago reported.
Tucker, who was shot while sitting inside his car, died at the scene after being struck multiple times, ABC7 reported at the time.
Police said the suspect has been charged with one felony count of first-degree murder and remains in custody pending his detention hearing at the courthouse. Police have not disclosed what led to the shooting and haven't identified a motive.
Brooks, a well-known anti-violence activist, said Tucker’s death deeply affected his family and community. According to Brooks, Tucker had been preparing to start a job with Project HOOD just days before he was killed.
Brooks said Tucker wasn't involved in criminal activity and described him as someone who had worked hard to overcome an earlier personal tragedy.
In 2018, Tucker lost his younger brother, Chauncy, in a crash involving a snowplow. Despite that loss, he finished high school, played basketball at a junior college, pursued music and stayed focused on his goals.
The pastor said his godson was eager to transfer to a four-year university and remained committed to community service.
Tucker’s death prompted an outpouring of grief from those who knew him.
Brooks said Tucker had believed in the mission of Project HOOD, which works to reduce gun violence and create economic opportunities for youth in Chicago’s South Side.
“He believed in my dream of helping each kid achieve the American Dream, the very same dream he was pursuing at the moment of his death,” Brooks wrote last year.
Brooks said the killing left Tucker’s family desperate for answers. A reward of $10,000 had been offered for information leading to an arrest in the case.
The pastor said he was contacted shortly afterward and informed of the incident.
Tucker’s godfather was quoted as saying he was not “a statistic” or someone whose story could be dismissed because of where he lived.
“He was the last kid you would expect this to happen to,” Brooks wrote. “He was not ‘oh-he’s-from-the-South-Side-that’s-why.’ He came from a good family that loved him dearly. He was a good soul with so much to give to this world.”
