A Chicago man is in police custody charged with the murders of two teenagers who reportedly asked him how tall he was, police say.
Laroy Battle, 19, gunned down Jasean Francis, 17, and Charles Riley, 16, in an alleyway behind a convenience store around 5 p.m. on June 20.
Both teens were rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center where they were pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
Riley was struck in the back and left leg and Francis was shot in the back, chest and left hand. A third teenager fled and was not shot.
The surviving teen told police he and his 2 friends did not know Battle. He said after the teens asked him how tall he was inside the convenience store, Battle followed them out of the store and fired nine rounds at them.
Battle was arrested after community members identified him in surveillance video released by the police. According to his booking sheet, Battle is 6-foot-3.
“To the community members who stepped forward with information — thank you. Detectives were able to quickly identify Battle, but it was the help we received from the community that led to his arrest,” Chicago Police tweeted.
Francis and Riley were among 104 people shot in Chicago over Father’s Day weekend.
