East Garfield Park Man Charged With Murder in Stabbing of Rapper John Walt

CHICAGO, IL — An East Garfield Park man faces murder charges in connection with the fatal stabbing of a popular hip-hop artist Wednesday in the Fulton River District, near CTA's Clinton Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center's Metra tracks, according to Chicago police.

Kevin Alexander, 23, of the 3000 block of West Fulton Boulevard is charged with felony first-degree murder in the incident. His next court date is Friday.

According to police, Alexander and a 24-year-old man — identified by the Chicago Tribune as Walter Long Jr., of the 5900 block of West Walton Street — allegedly got into a fight at about 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the 200 block of North Clinton Street. While they were scuffling, Long was stabbed multiple times in the chest, police said.

The victim then escaped from the scene, and police found him unresponsive in the 400 block of North Clinton Street, where he was pronounced dead.

Police later arrested Alexander at 5:25 p.m. at University of Illinois-Chicago Hospital, where he had gone to receive treatment for cut to his chin.

According to the blog Fake Shore Drive, Long was a Chicago rapper who performed under the names John Walt and dinnerwithjohn. A founding member of Pivot Gang, a group of West Side rappers, Long was preparing to launch new music he had been working on.

UPDATED (2:22 a.m. Friday, Feb. 10)

Kevin Alexander, 23 (photo via Chicago Police Department)

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