Northwest Illinois man connected to CPD officer's shooting death appears in court
CHICAGO (WGN) — The man charged in the death of Chicago police officer Krystal Rivera appeared before a Cook County judge on Thursday.
During a brief appearance in Cook County Criminal Court, 25-year-old Adrian Rucker's public defender got permission from the judge to move Thursday's status hearing for his client to Friday. Post-hearing, the mother and aunt of Rucker told WGN News that they still have questions for investigators concerning the June 5 incident on the city's South Side.
'We're waiting for bodycam footage,' Monique Reed, Rucker's aunt, said.
Authorities said the deadly shooting unfolded shortly before 10 p.m. as CPD officers pursued Rucker, who allegedly fled from a nearby investigatory stop at an apartment near E. 82nd St. and S. Drexel Avenue.
According to CPD, Rivera and another police officer chased an armed Rucker into a unit. Prosecutors say Rucker fled down a hallway and bodycam video captures the suspect pointing an AR pistol, but not firing it.
'Young, vibrant and a hard worker': CPD officer dies in South Side shooting
Fallen CPD officer remembered for courage and compassion by loved ones and colleagues
'He never had a rifle,' Reed said. 'Never had a gun. No gun was found on him.'
While 36-year-old Officer Rivera chased the initial suspect, the officer with her accidentally fired his weapon, striking and killing the four-year veteran of Chicago police.
'My condolences to her family, but my nephew is not responsible for her death,' Reed said.
Along with serving as part of the Sixth District's tactical team, those who knew Officer Rivera remembered her as a loving mom who was known for her courage and compassion.
Inside the unit on Drexel, investigators say they found three guns, suspected narcotics, and multiple fake IDs with Rucker's picture. The 25-year-old of Freeport —a town west of Rockford— faces multiple felonies, including armed violence, illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal drug possession.
Monique Reed says her nephew doesn't live in the apartment where the shooting occurred.
'I feel like he's being railroaded right now,' she said. 'We have his side of the story.'
Court documents say the armed suspect Officer Rivera and the other officer were chasing last Thursday got away. WGN News reached out to Chicago police to learn if the department is continuing its search, but has not yet heard back.
Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines
Funeral arrangements for Officer Rivera are pending.
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Fox News
18 hours ago
- Fox News
Chicago braces for deadly July 4 weekend as Fox News analyst takes action in brother's unsolved murder
Chicago is bracing for another violent 4th of July weekend as Fox News political analyst Gianno Caldwell continues to fight for answers in his brother's 2022 murder in the Windy City. More than 100 people were shot over the holiday weekend last year, 19 of whom were killed, following a years-long trend of violent crime that threatens the city on Independence Day. The issue of violent crime in Chicago hits close to home for Caldwell, whose 18-year-old brother, Christian Beamon, was one of two people killed and two others injured in a shooting on Chicago's South Side on June 24, 2022, in an attack that was not intended for him, according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD). "When tragedy hit, I had no idea that that door would be knocked on — never wanted that door to be knocked on — but because it was, and because I happen to be in a place where I have access to contacts people don't normally have, certainly, this has [received] a lot of attention in the press," Cadlwell told Fox News Digital of his brother's unsolved murder. Caldwell, who published a book this week titled, "The Day My Brother was Murdered: My Journey Through America's Violent Crime Crisis," told Fox News Digital that he felt called to write a book about his experience trying to solve his brother's murder after going three years without answers. CPD told Fox News Digital that its investigation into Beamon's murder is ongoing, and no one is currently in custody in connection with the fatal shooting. "I realized just how much help was needed … after experiencing this tragedy in my own family. I didn't know the great difficulties I would experience days after my brother's tragic murder. He was an innocent kid, never accused of doing anything," Caldwell said. "The police have continuously mentioned that he wasn't a target. And there's so many families who have [similar] experiences, as well." The book also details the murders of other innocent Americans killed in violent crimes across the country on the same day of Beamon's murder and features commentary from Fox News host Sean Hannity, "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh and Dr. Drew Pinsky. "Enough is enough." "On June 24, 2022, there were 150 people murdered on that very day across the country," Caldwell explained. "So many people have lost potential in their own families, and, unfortunately, that potential lies in graveyards in their cities. Enough is enough. That's why it was time to write this book." While awaiting answers from authorities, Caldwell has turned his grief into action. He has offered a $250,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of everyone involved in Beamon's murder, and he also founded the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety, a nonprofit "working to create a more secure America through crime prevention, public safety initiatives, and victim support." "We know that there is a crime crisis, but there are solutions to it in cities that have worked. Miami is an example, which has the lowest homicide rate since the 1950s. … So, there are ways to get it done," Caldwell said. "There just has to be a focus, and it has to [be] for places like Chicago, which has had a violent crime problem historically. They just need brave leadership. People are willing to go in, not just for the sake of being re-elected or for making money or some kind of fame, but for the people." Caldwell himself said he is interested in pursuing a mayoral run to help bring policies to Chicago that would prevent violent tragedies like the one that took his brother's life. "Enforce the laws that are on the books. In some cases, enhance the laws. Don't create laws like the SAFE-T Act in Illinois, which allow[s] for people who are accused of murder to have ankle monitor bracelets," Caldwell said. "It is going to take, again, brave elected officials who are willing to stand the call, not be concerned about their poll numbers or be concerned about being re-elected. These are individuals who are there for the people, not for themselves." The Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2023, overhauled Illinois' justice system with provisions that granted more freedoms to defendants and reduced certain felonies to misdemeanors. It also lowered the severity of some misdemeanors, like trespassing, and eliminated cash bail across the state. "When I started the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety at … we supported Nathan Hochman for [Los Angeles] District Attorney, somebody who's strong on crime, believes in fairness and justice, but treating the criminal just like they are, a criminal. And those are what I think many Democrats on the left are not … willing to do. They're not willing to stand up and be brave and say, no, enough is enough. We gotta be tough," the Fox analyst said. The June 24, 2022, shooting that killed Beamon on the 11400 block of South Vincennes Avenue also left an 18-year-old woman dead, a 31-year-old man in critical condition and a 25-year-old woman in "fair" condition with a gunshot wound to the leg, according to CPD. An unidentified male offender entered a black sedan and fled the scene eastbound after the shooting, CPD said. Chicago reached a 25-year high in homicides in 2021, when it recorded 804 killings. Since then, that number has steadily fallen to 695 homicides in 2022, 617 homicides in 2023, and 573 homicides in 2024. Last year marked the first time in five years since the Windy City recorded a homicide total under 600. Of the 573 homicides recorded last year, CPD's Bureau of Detectives cleared 319, representing a clearance rate of 51.7% — the highest since 2019. Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor's office for comment. Caldwell and his brother were two of nine siblings who grew up in a low-income household in Chicago. The Fox analyst has repeatedly criticized the city's soft-on-crime policies that allow repeat offenders back on the streets. Born in 2004, Beamon was the youngest of the siblings and had just turned 18 in 2022. Caldwell previously told Fox News Digital that Beamon and his other younger brothers are like sons to him as the oldest sibling. Cook County Crime Stoppers is offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects involved in the shooting that left Beamon dead.
Miami Herald
19 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Stonewall Uprising: A Look at Transgender Activists Who Led the Movement
The Stonewall Uprising, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights fight, occurred 56 years ago and sparked a movement led in part by two transgender activists: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. The Stonewall uprising began after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, sparking protests and pushback from the local LGBTQ+ community. Johnson and Rivera emerged as two community leaders from the movement, though there is debate about their exact involvement during the protests. Earlier this year, the Trump administration sparked backlash after removing references to transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website. Meanwhile, the Pride Month display at the Stonewall National Monument excluded transgender pride flags this year, according to ABC News. LGBTQ+ activists have raised concerns about attempts to erase the history of transgender activists this year. The exact history of Stonewall is complicated, and accounts from participants have varied over the years. Who exactly threw the first brick at Stonewall, for instance, has been debated, and there remains no clear consensus on the question. Still, Johnson and Rivera emerged from Stonewall as two of the most prominent leaders in New York's LGBTQ+ community who would shape the movement for decades to come. The uprising began early on June 28, 1969, when patrons at the bar fought back against police harassment during a raid. The riots continued for about six days and drew national attention to the LGBTQ+ rights cause. Johnson had said she was not at Stonewall when the uprising began and showed up a bit later. But she was among the most prominent participants in the days-long riots, resisting police after they raided the bar. In one well-reported account of the riots, Johnson climbed up a lamppost to drop a heavy object onto a police car. Rivera, who was 17 years old at the time of the riots, had also said that she was in attendance, although some historians have questioned whether she was present at Stonewall on the first night of the riot. Historian David Carter wrote in 2019 for The Gay City News that activist Bob Kohler, who was present at the riots, told him Rivera was not at Stonewall. But the debate about who was at Stonewall when is "pointless and silly," Michael Bronski, author of A Queer History of the United States, told Newsweek. He said it's important to look at the activists' work after Stonewall, such as the founding of Street Transvestite Activists Revolutionaries (STAR) and the first halfway house for young gender non-conforming individuals. STAR was an organization founded in 1970 by Johnson and Rivera to support transgender people. It was an early activist group for trans rights that went on to inspire others in the movement. At the time, notably, the term "transgender" was not in use, so the term "drag queen" was used to describe Johnson and Rivera, though they are considered to be transgender. They had also used the term "transvestite," which is now considered outdated or offensive by many, despite its historical use. Héctor Carrillo, a professor of sociology and sexuality & gender studies, told Newsweek it is "not automatic" that all drag queens at Stonewall would think of themselves as transgender, as the trans movement "didn't crystallize until the 1990s." While activists like Johnson and Rivera are now recognized as pioneers of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, at the time, the transgender community was not "idolized" by many gay and lesbian people, Bronski said. "Back then, often the queer community, the more mainstream queer community, was not particularly open to trans people, and for some reasons—if trans people went into a bar, police might be likely to raid the bar. Trans people were more hassled on the streets by police," he said. Vincent Stephens, an associate dean of diversity and inclusion at Boston University's College of Arts & Sciences, told Newsweek activists like Johnson and Rivera were "integral to really being at the forefront of liberation." After Stonewall, groups like the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) were founded to advance the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, he said. But those groups had many "internal fissures" that caused women and people of color to break off. This led to the creation of STAR. "In many ways, they were integral to articulate the needs and concerns of gender nonconforming people," Stephens said. "They also exposed in many ways a tension within the queer community, which is that some people who were very focused on concerns of gay men and the concerns of lesbians but weren't necessary addressing concerns of gender-nonconforming people. STAR is an early example of gender non-conforming people organizing and saying, 'We are integral to this.'" The two continued working on causes including AIDS and homelessness throughout their lives, as well as remaining active in the battle for LGBTQ+ rights. This year's anniversary of the riots comes as many in the LGBTQ+ community see setbacks in a legal sense, as well as a shift in public opinion against gay and trans rights. The Trump administration's removal of mentions of the transgender community from the Stonewall National Monument website is among those concerns. Bronski said the erasure of the transgender community cannot be viewed "in isolation." Those who oppose gay rights have realized they cannot push for the eradication of the gay community from public life, but could still "focus on the most vulnerable of those people, which is trans community," he said. "I think it's really telling that they didn't get rid of all of LGBT, but just the T. I think they knew that getting rid of LGB would cause complete outrage, but you can get away with getting rid of the T because there's enough ambivalence and lack of understanding about transgender people," he said. A key part of the legacy of Stonewall is remembering that 1969 wasn't all that long ago, Stephens said. "Many of the fights that LGBTQ+ people have been fighting are relatively recent fights, and the fight is not over," he said. "We have to think about the long-term vision for how we want to exist as human beings and as contributors to society. Stonewall reminds us that we have to sometimes get up, take risks and advocate for ourselves." Every movement "needs a moment," and Stonewall is that for the LGBTQ+ rights movement, Bronski said. While LGBTQ+ Pride Month has become "very commercialized," it's still important to remember the deeper meaning behind the role of power in society and how that can harm people. "There is a great lesson to be learned that what happens to the most vulnerable people can happen to anyone," he said. Héctor Carrillo, a professor of sociology and sexuality & gender studies, told Newsweek: "The Stonewall Uprising acquired enormous cultural symbolism. It came to be seen as marking the beginning of the LGBTQ movement, even when there had been other instances of gay and lesbian protest before. Those include the Mattachine Society's picketing and the Compton Cafeteria riot in San Francisco in 1966. GLAAD criticized the Trump administration's move to remove references to the trans community from the Stonewall National Monument website in February: "The Stonewall Uprising – a monumental moment in the fight for LGBTQ rights – would not have happened without the leadership of transgender and gender non-conforming people. The tireless work of Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and countless other trans women of color paved the way and continue to inspire us. You can try to erase our history, but we will never forget those who came before us and we will continue to fight for all those who will come after us." Related Articles Gay California Lawmaker Blasts 'Inflammatory' Pride resolutionCouple Gets Pride Doormat, Neighbor Writes a Letter: 'Don't Like That'Map Shows Where Gay Marriage Would Be Banned if Supreme Court Overturns LawWoman Gets Message From Dog Walker-Realizes It Wasn't Meant for Her 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Stonewall Uprising: A Look at Transgender Activists Who Led the Movement
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Stonewall Uprising, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights fight, occurred 56 years ago and sparked a movement led in part by two transgender activists: Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. The Context The Stonewall uprising began after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, sparking protests and pushback from the local LGBTQ+ community. Johnson and Rivera emerged as two community leaders from the movement, though there is debate about their exact involvement during the protests. Earlier this year, the Trump administration sparked backlash after removing references to transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website. Meanwhile, the Pride Month display at the Stonewall National Monument excluded transgender pride flags this year, according to ABC News. LGBTQ+ activists have raised concerns about attempts to erase the history of transgender activists this year. What To Know The exact history of Stonewall is complicated, and accounts from participants have varied over the years. Who exactly threw the first brick at Stonewall, for instance, has been debated, and there remains no clear consensus on the question. Still, Johnson and Rivera emerged from Stonewall as two of the most prominent leaders in New York's LGBTQ+ community who would shape the movement for decades to come. The uprising began early on June 28, 1969, when patrons at the bar fought back against police harassment during a raid. The riots continued for about six days and drew national attention to the LGBTQ+ rights cause. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty Johnson had said she was not at Stonewall when the uprising began and showed up a bit later. But she was among the most prominent participants in the days-long riots, resisting police after they raided the bar. In one well-reported account of the riots, Johnson climbed up a lamppost to drop a heavy object onto a police car. Rivera, who was 17 years old at the time of the riots, had also said that she was in attendance, although some historians have questioned whether she was present at Stonewall on the first night of the riot. Historian David Carter wrote in 2019 for The Gay City News that activist Bob Kohler, who was present at the riots, told him Rivera was not at Stonewall. But the debate about who was at Stonewall when is "pointless and silly," Michael Bronski, author of A Queer History of the United States, told Newsweek. He said it's important to look at the activists' work after Stonewall, such as the founding of Street Transvestite Activists Revolutionaries (STAR) and the first halfway house for young gender non-conforming individuals. STAR was an organization founded in 1970 by Johnson and Rivera to support transgender people. It was an early activist group for trans rights that went on to inspire others in the movement. At the time, notably, the term "transgender" was not in use, so the term "drag queen" was used to describe Johnson and Rivera, though they are considered to be transgender. They had also used the term "transvestite," which is now considered outdated or offensive by many, despite its historical use. Héctor Carrillo, a professor of sociology and sexuality & gender studies, told Newsweek it is "not automatic" that all drag queens at Stonewall would think of themselves as transgender, as the trans movement "didn't crystallize until the 1990s." While activists like Johnson and Rivera are now recognized as pioneers of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, at the time, the transgender community was not "idolized" by many gay and lesbian people, Bronski said. "Back then, often the queer community, the more mainstream queer community, was not particularly open to trans people, and for some reasons—if trans people went into a bar, police might be likely to raid the bar. Trans people were more hassled on the streets by police," he said. Vincent Stephens, an associate dean of diversity and inclusion at Boston University's College of Arts & Sciences, told Newsweek activists like Johnson and Rivera were "integral to really being at the forefront of liberation." After Stonewall, groups like the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) were founded to advance the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, he said. But those groups had many "internal fissures" that caused women and people of color to break off. This led to the creation of STAR. "In many ways, they were integral to articulate the needs and concerns of gender nonconforming people," Stephens said. "They also exposed in many ways a tension within the queer community, which is that some people who were very focused on concerns of gay men and the concerns of lesbians but weren't necessary addressing concerns of gender-nonconforming people. STAR is an early example of gender non-conforming people organizing and saying, 'We are integral to this.'" The two continued working on causes including AIDS and homelessness throughout their lives, as well as remaining active in the battle for LGBTQ+ rights. Stonewall Anniversary Comes as Many View New Attacks on LGBTQ+ Community This year's anniversary of the riots comes as many in the LGBTQ+ community see setbacks in a legal sense, as well as a shift in public opinion against gay and trans rights. The Trump administration's removal of mentions of the transgender community from the Stonewall National Monument website is among those concerns. Bronski said the erasure of the transgender community cannot be viewed "in isolation." Those who oppose gay rights have realized they cannot push for the eradication of the gay community from public life, but could still "focus on the most vulnerable of those people, which is trans community," he said. "I think it's really telling that they didn't get rid of all of LGBT, but just the T. I think they knew that getting rid of LGB would cause complete outrage, but you can get away with getting rid of the T because there's enough ambivalence and lack of understanding about transgender people," he said. A key part of the legacy of Stonewall is remembering that 1969 wasn't all that long ago, Stephens said. "Many of the fights that LGBTQ+ people have been fighting are relatively recent fights, and the fight is not over," he said. "We have to think about the long-term vision for how we want to exist as human beings and as contributors to society. Stonewall reminds us that we have to sometimes get up, take risks and advocate for ourselves." Every movement "needs a moment," and Stonewall is that for the LGBTQ+ rights movement, Bronski said. While LGBTQ+ Pride Month has become "very commercialized," it's still important to remember the deeper meaning behind the role of power in society and how that can harm people. "There is a great lesson to be learned that what happens to the most vulnerable people can happen to anyone," he said. What People Are Saying Héctor Carrillo, a professor of sociology and sexuality & gender studies, told Newsweek: "The Stonewall Uprising acquired enormous cultural symbolism. It came to be seen as marking the beginning of the LGBTQ movement, even when there had been other instances of gay and lesbian protest before. Those include the Mattachine Society's picketing and the Compton Cafeteria riot in San Francisco in 1966. GLAAD criticized the Trump administration's move to remove references to the trans community from the Stonewall National Monument website in February: "The Stonewall Uprising – a monumental moment in the fight for LGBTQ rights – would not have happened without the leadership of transgender and gender non-conforming people. The tireless work of Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and countless other trans women of color paved the way and continue to inspire us. You can try to erase our history, but we will never forget those who came before us and we will continue to fight for all those who will come after us."
