No bail for man charged in girl’s murder
A second man charged with murdering a 7-year-old girl in a shooting at a Fourth of July party in Austin was ordered held without bail Wednesday.
Davion Mitchell, described by his attorney as a local rapper and religious man, is one of three gunmen who opened fire, killing Natalia Wallace and wounding a 32-year-old man believed to be the intended target, Cook County prosecutors said.
Mitchell is the second man charged in the deadly shooting in the 100 block of North Latrobe Avenue. Two men — brothers, ages 28 and 30 — are still being sought.
Prosecutors said they have highquality video surveillance footage that shows the faces of the three shooters and witness identification of the 22-year-old Mitchell. But defense attorney Nicole Massarello said there was little evidence connecting her client to the shooting. Massarello also cited Mitchell’s lack of criminal history in asking Judge David Navarro to set bail.
Mitchell works full time as a local rapper and is “a very religious man” who volunteers at church, Massarello said. He is also the father of two girls.
“He takes care of his family with money from that [rap] work,” Massarello said.
Navarro said while Mitchell may be an unlikely flight risk, he was also weighing other factors, including “what can only be described as a hail of gunfire” on a group of playing children.
“Accordingly, I believe you pose a threat to the safety of the community, and it is my order that you are held without bond,” Navarro said.
Mitchell is facing first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm charges.
Last week, 33-year-old Reginald Merrill was charged in connection with Natalia’s murder after police identified him as the driver who pulled up and waited while the shooters got out and fired more than 20 rounds.
The shooting is believed to have stemmed from a gang-related conflict tied to the June 29 murder of the brother of the two unidentified shooters.