Suspect in Chicago Chinatown shooting served 2-day sentence for prior gun-related charge
Alphonso Joyner previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The suspect in an "execution" shooting in Chicago's Chinatown on Tuesday had escaped with light punishment from four priors, including two gun charges.
Alphonso Joyner, 23, appeared in court Thursday after he allegedly fired 20 times at Woom Sing Tse as he walked past John C. Haines Elementary School. Police charged Joyner with first-degree murder.
Judge Maryam Ahmad at Joyner’s bond hearing Thursday cited "overwhelming" evidence as she denied any bail for Joyner, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Ahmad referred to the shooting as an "execution."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(Woom Sing Tse, left, and Alphonso Joyner, right (Family photo/provided/Chicago Police Department))
Joyner refused to talk to investigators, but police confirmed during a press conference Wednesday that he had at least four prior charges, including two gun charges.
The first of those charges occurred Dec. 21 last year when police pulled Joyner over for running a stop sign. When questioned, Joyner voluntarily informed the officers that he had a gun in his glove box and a license for it.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Police found the gun equipped with a laser sight and extended ammunition magazine, CWB Chicago reported.
Joyner did not have a license to carry a concealed weapon, but prosecutors only pursued a misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a laser sight.
Surveillance camera footage of the Dec. 7 shooting of Woom Sing Tse in Chicago (Courtesy 16th & 17th District Chicago Police Scanner Twitter)
A prosecutor revealed during the bond hearing on those charges that Joyner remained the subject of an investigation into a shooting in October 2020.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But the judge – citing Joyner’s "cooperative" attitude – released Joyner on his own recognizance. The prosecutor asked that Joyner surrender his weapons and license to police, which the judge ordered.
Joyner pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge on Oct. 28 2021, and the judge sentenced Joyner to two days in jail, which he had served following his arrest.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Surveillance footage showed Joyner drive up alongside Woom at around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday and opening fire. He then got out of the car and continued to shoot at the victim before returning to his vehicle and driving away.
Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown addresses reporters about a suspect in the killing of a 7-year-old girl earlier this year. (Chicago Police Department)
Medical professionals tried to treat Woom’s wounds at a local hospital but ultimately pronounced him dead.
Joyner allegedly carried his revoked license during the shooting of Woom.
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Prosecutors never charged Joyner with the October 2020 shooting.
Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan told reporters that police will investigate any possible connection between Joyner and a number of unresolved shootings in other parts of the city.
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"Detectives from the North Side have already reached out to these detectives, and we’re comparing everything we possibly can from those cases to this case or any other case that may appear to a random act of violence," Deenihan said.