According to reports in the Proviso Herald, Maywood police had no suspects or motive Tuesday morning in the Monday night fatal shooting of a 17-year-old Bellwood resident.
Tawanna Ford was shot once in the head around 8 p.m. Monday while sitting in the front passenger seat of a vehicle traveling near the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Ninth Avenue, police said.
"A couple of guys were standing near Ninth and Washington, and one of them fired a gun at the car," said Sgt. Tim Curry said.
"When (the driver) realized that (Ford) had been hit, he rushed her to Westlake (Hospital in Melrose Park). (The injury) was too serious for Westlake, so they transported (Ford) to Loyola (University Medical Center in Maywood), where she was pronounced dead (at 10:29 p.m.)."
Curry said he didn't know how many shots were fired.
"The bullet that struck (Ford) in the head apparently entered the car through the driver's side rear window," he said. "The motive is unknown; there doesn't appear to be one. But we don't believe it was gang- or drug-related."
Ford, who just completed her third year at Proviso East High School, was on target to graduate a semester early, in December 2008, according to Principal Milton Patch.
"It is truly a very sad day for the Proviso East community, and I only hope that someday decision makers will rise up and take a positive stand to eradicate the violence that consumes our community," Patch said in a statement to Proviso East staff.
Patch said he previously had been Ford's principal at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Bellwood.
"I was her principal since she was in second grade and had known her and her mother most of her life," he said.
"She always had a smile on her face. She was a hard worker, and there's nothing she wouldn't do for anyone."
Patch said Ford planned to attend Triton College in River Grove from January until August 2009 and then transfer to a college in Florida.
The Proviso East principal said a memorial service for Ford is scheduled for June 14, but he had no further details Tuesday morning.
A social worker is available at Proviso East for any students in need of counseling, Patch said.
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I'm curious -- what is the reputation of Maywood's police department? Can more be done to control gang violence? I know this is a complicated, tough issue, and this is not a criticism, just a question.
Deputy chief resigns, officers vote 'no confidence' in chief
June 11, 2008
By JOHN HUSTON jhuston@pioneerlocal.com
Maywood Deputy Police Chief Phillip Bue has announced his resignation. And the police officers' union has supported a "vote of no confidence" in Chief Elvia Williams.
In a May 14 memorandum announcing his resignation, Bue said his last day with the department will be July 18, though his contract runs through January 2009.
That memo was dated just two days before the union approved its vote of no confidence in the chief. An "overwhelming" number of the 45 Maywood police officers voted in favor of the position, according to a letter signed by Norm Frese, president of Illinois Council of Police, the union which represents Maywood's patrol officers.
Frese refused to comment on the matter and said he could not provide the exact vote tally.
But his letter to Maywood's mayor and trustees said the vote was "the result of morale being at an all-time low due to a perceived environment that seemingly cannot be corrected under the regime of Chief Williams."
Williams said she would not discuss the matter because the union is negotiating its contract with the village, which expired May 1. But she did say she met with union officials about its no-confidence vote.
"I'm trying to work with them to address the issues they brought forward," she said.
Bue declined to comment on whether Williams' leadership played a role in his early departure, citing "some personal and some health care issues that I need to take care of. Maybe in the future I will decide to return to Maywood if the offer is made and there's an opening."
Maywood police officer Terrence Powell, the union's spokesman, referred questions about the matter to Frese.
Frese said he could not discuss the vote until receiving authorization from Maywood union membership.
Several Maywood police officers refused to comment on the situation, citing fear of retribution.
Sgt. Chris Brown, who is not covered by the patrol officers' union, said the chief holds double standards, hasn't followed department policies and procedures and has caused morale to plummet.
"It's just bad," Brown said. "It's a dictatorship. It's not what it should be."
Village Manager Jason Earvin said he supports Williams and called the union's complaints "manageable issues. I don't think they're insurmountable. We've got people coming to work everyday -- people who are productive. Crime is down. People are out there functioning and working. I don't believe that morale is low."
He also said the village plans to promote from within to replace Bue.
She was shot right next door to Audrey Jaycox's house, the trustee for that area. Those kids stood on that corner all the time. Wonder why she never did anything about it?
Hello. i believe that Maywood Police Dept is going through a process of elimination phase of weeding out the "bad apples" and growing dedicated police officers who will not on do the "right thing", but perform their duties and responsibilities to perfection. I am attempting to join the dept as well to help become a solution to crime problems in my home town.
Jeremiah hall BM2 U.S.N.
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