Two alleged street gang members were charged Monday with the slaying of a reputed fellow gang member even though all three had been ”good friends,”
police reported.
Police believe the victim, Tyrone Bufkin, 15, of 9803 S. Merrion Ave., was killed because he was attempting to leave one gang and join another, said Detective Thomas Shine of the Pullman Area violent crimes unit.
Shine said Bufkin, a student at Chicago Vocational High School, was found shot four times in the abdomen and back at about 8 p.m. Sunday on the sidewalk in front of 10101 S. Luella Ave.
Bufkin had told his parents he was not a gang member, but police said they learned from others who knew him that he was.
Bufkin spent much of Sunday with Randall Batchelor, 15, of 10212 S. Bensley Ave., and Ricky Walls, 17, of 10154 S. Hoxie Ave., and quarreled with them about leaving the gang they all belonged to, police said.
Batchelor and Walls were charged with Bufkin`s murder early Monday.