CHICAGO (WGN) — A 43-year-old Chicago man has been charged with murder after witnesses said his 9-year-old neighbor was fatally shot by someone upset over noise.
Michael Goodman faces one felony count of first-degree murder after police said Serabi Medina was shot in the head in the city’s Portage Park neighborhood around 9:40 p.m. Saturday.
According to court documents, Medina was riding her scooter as her father spoke with three friends outside their home. One of those friends gave Medina money to buy ice cream from a nearby ice cream truck.
After Medina reportedly bought ice cream for herself and her father, shots rang out in the area. Medina’s father told the girl to go back inside their apartment, court documents explain.
As she approached the front door, Goodman allegedly emerged, holding a firearm. Witnesses said Goodman crossed the street, at which point Medina’s father reportedly asked what he was doing.
Goodman allegedly ignored him and followed Medina to the vestibule of her apartment building. Medina’s father ran toward his daughter, but reported that Goodman pointed his firearm at Medina and fired, according to authorities.
Medina’s father tackled Goodman. As they fell to the ground, the gun discharged and Goodman was struck in the eye.
The girl was transported to a local hospital in critical condition and later pronounced dead. Police said Goodman was quickly arrested after being identified as the shooter.
Goodman was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Inside Goodman’s apartment, documents state a receipt was found for the 9mm firearm allegedly used in the shooting. Authorities believe all three recovered shell casings match the gun.
Goodman appeared in court Tuesday and is being held without bail.
Megan Kelley, a neighbor, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Goodman had confronted Sarabi and her father about noise, saying they were being too loud.
“It just didn’t make sense. None of it made sense,” neighbor Megan Kelley told the Chicago Sun-Times. “Everybody in the community would just tell him they are just kids having fun playing. Just let them be.”
She told the outlet Sarabi’s mother was killed in a shooting in 2018.
“She was a young, vibrant little girl,” family member Angee Gonzalez Rodriguez told Nexstar’s WGN. “There was no reason for her to die. There was no reason to shoot anyone to begin with, but why a child?”
Serabi was to start fourth grade this fall.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.