14 & 16-Year-Old Charged With the Murder of Gay Chicago Teen

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of a gay 18-year-old high school student from Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reports. Additionally, the Chicago Sun-Times points out that a 16-year-old teen has been arrested for the victim's murder as well.

Last week, as reported here, Chicago police were investigating the murder of Terrance "Jawan" Wright, 18, who was shot and killed on Oct. 19. Authorities said he was shot after he tried to fight back when five young men attempted to rob him.

But the teen's family insisted he was really killed because he was gay.

"What they going to rob him of: his books?" asked Wright's uncle, Tywayn Bouldin. He added that his nephew had been the victim of anti-gay bullying inside and outside of school and that he even had to transfer schools last year because the harassment had become so stressful for him.

"I believe they only did that to him because he was gay," Wright's 16-year-old brother, Javone, said.

"I was told the boys were picking on Jawan. Jawan was on his way home and the boys just started picking on him and calling him names, so they tried to take Jawan's book bag," Essie James, Wright's grandmother, told local Chicago TV station WGN. "So then Jawan and the boys got to fighting. That's when police say one of the boys pulled out a gun and killed Jawan."

Police reported only that Wright was shot in the chest on his way home from school and died from wounds just eight days before his 19th birthday.

One boy, who allegedly fatally shot Wright and has not being identified due to his age, appeared in Juvenile Court after he was charged as a juvenile for the murder, according to Cook County's attorney office spokesman Andy Conklin. An autopsy performed on the victim determined that he died of a gunshot wound to his chest and his death was ruled a homicide.

According to the Sun-Times, another teen has been arrested for Wright's murder. LGBTQ Nation reported the second suspect as Jarone Carter, 16, who was charged as an adult with first-degree murder, attempted armed robbery and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Cook County state's attorney Jamie Santin said Carter allegedly gave his younger friend the gun used to kill Wright.

Santini told the Sun-Times that the 14-year-old pulled the gun out on Wright while he was waiting for the bus and demanded he give him money. While Carter watched, the boy and another uncharged co-defender attempted to take money out of the victim's pockets but Wright refused to hand over his belongings and told the 14-year-old to get the gun out of his face.

Wright allegedly punched the boy and tried to grab the weapon but it went off during the struggle, Santini added. After Carter took his gun back the three fled the scene.

Carter is being held on $2 million bail.