Man Charged With Murder Of Northwestern Student Shane Colombo

CHICAGO — A Jefferson Park man was arrested Tuesday and charged with the murder of a Northwestern University graduate student who died last year after he was struck by a stray bullet a few hours after arriving at his new home in Evanston, police said.

Diante Speed, 20, of the 6000 block of West Sunnyside Avenue, Chicago, was arrested around noon in the 2400 block of West Belmont Avenue, police said. Chicago police said Speed was identified as the person who fired a gun several times around 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 2, 2018, just south of the intersection of Howard and North Clark streets in Chicago.

Investigators got a tip that led them to a witness who was with Speed at the time of the incident and the murder weapon was discovered by South Holland police during a gun arrest, Assistant State's Attorney James Murphy told Circuit Judge Susana Ortiz at a bond hearing Wednesday in Chicago.

According to the prosecutor, Speed and three other people were walking together in the area when they encountered an unidentified man who they believed had a gun. Speed and two witnesses walked past the man, who was waiting at a bus stop, before returning with a gun in his hand about a minute later.

Video surveillance showed Speed preparing the firearm as he hid behind a nearby bank, the judge was told. Speed then ran back to the bus stop and began firing at the man at the bus stop. There was no indication the target of the shooting was armed, the prosecutor said.

Shane Colombo, 25, a San Clemente, California, native, was struck in the chest, lower back and wrist and taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. He had been walking with groceries toward the bus stop when he was struck.

Colombo was due to begin pursuing a doctorate in psychology at Northwestern. According to family members, had recently purchased a condo in Evanston with his fiancée after moving from New York City. He had worked as a researcher at Columbia University, where he ran a neuroscience lab.

"It saddens us that this event occurred in the vibrant and caring community that we share with many of our fellow members of Northwestern," Teresa Woodruff, dean of Northwestern's graduate school, and Adrian Randolph, dean of its college of arts and sciences, said in a joint statement after his death. "It also saddens us that the world will not one day be able to benefit from the research Shane was about to pursue."

A few days after he was caught in the crossfire of the Rogers Park shooting, police released surveillance images of several people they said were involved in the exchange of gunfire that claimed Colombo's life. It was not clear from the images if Speed was one of those pictured, and no further information was available from Chicago police.

The reward for information leading to Colombo's killer was increased to $12,000, his mother, Tonya Colombo, anti-violence groups and local officials announced at a press conference earlier this year.

"The pain of losing a child is indescribable," Colombo said. "Shane never had a chance in this city, and I would like to find the people who did this."

Colombo survived a bout with lymphoma at age 15 and was an advocate for social justice and mental health, friends and family reminisced on an online fundraiser established to help cover the costs of returning his body to California.

"We ask that you remember Shane for the beautiful person that he is: fiercely passionate, full of love, beauty and art in all of its forms, music, and humor."

Vincent Perez, Colombo's fiancée, said he hoped the tragic death might help prevent future firearm deaths.

"I don't want this to be where we all mourn and we are done. I want Shane to have a legacy," Perez said in a statement. "I want to protect people from gun violence. I want to be there for the community."

Evanston Ald. Ann Rainey, whose 8th Ward includes the north side of Howard Street, said she has been in touch with members of Colombo's family since Speed's arrest.

"We're all on pins and needles just hoping that this goes forth to the ultimate closure. Shane has so many wonderful, caring people thinking of him every day, and given the tragedies of these past days, I can't imagine the pain of Shane's loss multiplied by so many," Rainey said, referencing recent mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas.

Prosecutors said the person arrested in possession of 9mm handgun used in the shooting told police he purchased it from a friend of Speed. During an interview with detectives, Speed admitted he gave the gun to the friend to sell and identified himself on the surveillance video of the shooting. But he denied ever shooting the gun, admitting only that he "raised his arm in a shooting motion," according to prosecutors.

According to police, Speed was arrested nine times at age 18 and 19, including once on a warrant for violating the terms of his parole just two days after Colombo's death — and two blocks east of where he was killed — and another for illegally possessing a firearm about a month after the incident for which he is charged with murder. He is due back in court on Aug. 27 in Chicago.

Earlier:

• Northwestern Grad Student Fatally Shot In Rogers Park Crossfire
• Images Of Suspects Released In Shooting Of Northwestern Student
• Funeral Set For Murdered San Clemente Doctoral Student