Man, 18, faces murder charge in Chicago-area mall shooting
Apr 1, 2022, 1:41 PM | Updated: 2:00 pm
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — An 18-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a man and wounding a girl at a suburban Chicago shopping mall was charged Friday with murder, police said.
Jose Matias, of Chicago, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, Rosemont police Sgt. Joe Balogh said.
It wasn’t clear Friday whether Matias has an attorney who might comment on his behalf.
Matias was arrested Wednesday in the March 25 shooting that killed Joel Valdes, 20, of Skokie, at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, just northwest of Chicago. A second shooting victim, a 15-year-old girl, was treated and released from a hospital, police said.
Police said the shooting occurred near the mall’s food court during an argument that escalated into violence. Frightened shoppers ran for cover and the mall was locked down.
Authorities said surveillance video shows the suspect pulling out a weapon and shooting at Valdes, striking him. Valdes was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
After the shooting, the suspected gunman fled in a car with other people, police said.
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