“Jai’Mani’s life was taken away from him”

A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of 7-year-old Jai'Mani Amir Rivera, Chicago police said Friday.

The teen was charged with two separate counts of first-degree murder and two warrant violations, Superintendent Larry Snelling said during an evening news conference at police headquarters.

“Over the past three days, the team of Area 3 homicide detectives handling this case has been completely focused on bringing justice for Jai’Mani and his family,” Snelling said.

“Jai’Mani’s life was taken away from him,” Snelling added. “For what? There is no excuse for this violence.

The teen was arrested Thursday at his home in the 1800 block of West Monroe Street by CPD officers and members of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force. He is expected to make his first court appearance on Saturday, according to police.

Antoinette Ursitti, CPD chief of detectives, said a gun was recovered during the arrest, but it was not the one used to kill Jai'Mani. Ursitti confirmed the boy was shot with a rifle bullet, a dozen of which were found at the crime scene Tuesday.

Jai'Mani was shot around 3 p.m. Tuesday in the 2300 block of West Jackson Boulevard as he left his family's apartment to visit a next-door neighbor, officials previously said.

Responding CPD officers applied pressure to the boy's chest and took him in a police vehicle to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later, authorities said . An autopsy found Jai'Mani was shot in the torso, and the Cook County medical examiner's office ruled the boy's death a homicide.

Dozens of family members and community organizers joined a peace march in the United Center neighborhood Friday afternoon, carrying signs reading “Please save the children” while chanting “ Jai’Mani, we love you.” Jai'Mani's mother stood in front, surrounded by photos of her son.

Joel Rivera, 10, described his cousin Jai'Mani as kind, caring, very funny and always smiling. He said he was sad that he would never be able to watch him grow up and play football. As Joel held up a photo of his cousin with angel wings, he said he wanted people to “put down the guns.”

“I don't really feel good. It was a really shocking experience,” Joel said. “I’m very injured and having trouble sleeping at night.”

Ald. Walter Burnett, 27, also joined the march, saying his heart went out to Jai'Mani's family. He said the community is “full of love” and “love will conquer hate.” He also praised police for apprehending a suspect involved in the shooting.

“We need to continue to try to take guns out of kids' hands and put something else in their hands – something positive and constructive from the community,” he said. “We constantly need more help from members of society to contribute to the programs going on in these communities.”