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U.S. NEWS Saturday 6 July 2019

Prosecutors can't Police: More than dozen trampled

seek execution in in Chicago July 4 stampede

case against immigrant CHICAGO (AP) — Police

said a false report of gun-
By JACQUES BILLEAUD fire set off a stampede
PHOENIX (AP) — Prosecu- that trampled more than a
tors can no longer seek dozen people at Chicago's
the death penalty against annual July 4 fireworks dis-
a Mexican immigrant play Thursday at Navy Pier,
charged with murder in the where thousands of revel-
2015 shooting death of a ers had crowded the Lake
convenience store clerk in Michigan shore.
a Phoenix suburb because Three others were stabbed
the accused is intellectu- when a fight broke out af-
ally disabled, a judge has ter a group of young males
ruled. flashed gang signs, authori-
The ruling Wednesday ties said. Three people suf- In this Thursday, July 4, 2019 photo, Chicago Police Department
means Apolinar Altami- fered non-life-threatening (CPD) officers stand guard while a woman relieves her son who
rano will face life in prison This undated file booking injuries. had panicked after reports of stabbings and threatening injuries
photo provided by the Mari-
if he's convicted of first- copa County (Arizona) Sher- Chicago Police spokes- after the 4th of July celebrations at Chicago's Navy Pier.
degree murder in the killing iff's Office shows Apolinar Al- woman Kellie Bartoli said Associated Press
of 21-year-old clerk Grant tamirano, a citizen of Mexico police were searching Fri-
Ronnebeck at the store in charged with murder in the day for two male suspects tained a puncture wound "It was pure chaos," the
Mesa. shooting death four years ago in the stabbings. to his leg after running into 22-year-old told the Chi-
The case against Altamira- of a convenience store clerk The Navy Pier incidents oc- a table. cago Tribune. "I literally
in a Phoenix suburb.
no has been cited by Presi- Associated Press curred just after 10 p.m. on Police officers believe thought I was going to die."
dent Donald Trump, who what is one of the bigger that after that altercation, Schar said she was col-
has railed against crimes the United States without events of the year at the someone threw firecrack- lecting credit cards from
committed against Ameri- authorization for about 20 lakeside showplace. The ers at the pier, prompting a party table when she
can citizens by immigrants years. He was deported stabbing occurred among shouts of "gun" or "shots heard screaming, shoes
who are the United States and returned to the United groups of males, Bartoli fired," and spurring a "stam- rapidly pounding the pave-
illegally. States. said. pede" that injured "approx- ment and shouts about a
Trump, who has created a He is accused of fatally A 14-year-old boy was imately 13" people, Bartoli gun and people stabbed
new office to serve victims shooting Ronnebeck after stabbed in the arm and said. The initial reports of outside. She said she was
of immigration crimes and the store clerk insisted that rib area and a 15-year-old gunfire were inaccurate, tackled during that pande-
their relatives, has invoked Altamirano pay for a pack boy was stabbed in the police said. monium and then sprinted
such crimes at rallies, point- of cigarettes. Authorities armpit. Both were trans- Those who were injured upstairs into an office.
ing to case after case in say Altamirano stepped ported to Lurie Children's while running or falling Elsewhere in the city, the
which people were killed over Ronnebeck to get Hospital and were reported in the melee were taken typically violent 4th of July
by immigrant assailants several packs of cigarettes in stable condition. to hospitals with non-life- holiday had already seen
who slipped through the before leaving the store. A 30-year-old man not in- threatening injuries, said 35 people shot in Chica-
cracks. He led officers on a high- volved in the altercation another police spokesman, go, five fatally, with three
It's unclear whether pros- speed chase before his ar- suffered stab wounds to Rocco Alioto. days to go in the week-
ecutors will appeal the rul- rest, and a handgun and the face and arm but said Rachel Schar, who's a serv- end. Mayor Lori Lightfoot,
ing. "We are reviewing the unopened pack of ciga- he did not see the offend- er at the waterfront restau- who took office in May and
analysis and the record to rettes were later found in er nor did he remember rant Harry Caray's Tavern, has made curbing gun vio-
assess next steps," accord- his vehicle, police said. any details about the inci- said that during ensuing lence a priority, followed
ing to a statement from the Altamirano has already dent, Bartoli said. He was panic crowds of visitors recent years' practice by
Maricopa County Attor- been sentenced to six at Northwestern University swarmed the restaurant for pouring an extra 1,500 po-
ney's Office, which is pros- years in prison for his ear- Hospital in stable condition. at least 10 minutes to es- lice officers onto the streets.
ecuting Altamirano. lier guilty pleas in the case Also, a 16-year-old boy, ini- cape what they believed Messages left with her press
Altamirano is a citizen of to misconduct involving tially thought to have been was an active shooter at office Friday were not im-
Mexico who has lived in weapons.q stabbed, actually sus- the pier. mediately returned.q