Teen Charged in Lockport Township Murder; Police Investigating Second Drive-By Shooting

A 16-year-old Joliet boy was arrested this weekend and charged with two counts of murder in the drive-by shooting death of another teenager, police said.

Will County Sheriff’s Police said 16-year-old victim Latray Wright and alleged shooter Christopher Stamps were members of different factions of the same gang, and the murder may have been prompted by Facebook rivalry.

“The victim may have been posting disparaging remarks about the other faction on Facebook,” Deputy Chief Ken Kaupas said Monday.

Kaupas said Stamps was arrested Saturday night by Joliet police, who tracked him down in Crest Hill.

Wright was killed by gunfire as he and a 17-year-old friend walked near Princeton and Fairmont in Lockport Township on Thursday afternoon. Kaupas said the teens attempted to flee as an occupant of a blue vehicle opened fire, and Wright was shot and killed as he ran.

• 16-Year-Old Killed in Drive-By Shooting

Kaupas said investigators on Saturday developed some leads on the identity of the alleged shooter, who was named as Stamps. Deputies and Joliet police unsuccessfully executed two search warrants Saturday before Joliet police developed information that led them to Stamps’ location, according to Kaupas.

Stamps remains in custody on $3 million bond at River Valley Juvenile Detention Center. Kaupas said the teen will be tried as an adult.

Deputies are also investigating a shooting that occurred at around 10 a.m. Monday at Stamps’ home in the 2100 block of California Avenue. Kaupas said police believe the drive-by shooting was done in retaliation for Wright’s murder. No injuries were reported in the second shooting, he said.

No description of the vehicle involved in the Monday morning shooting was immediately available, and Kaupas said there are currently no suspects in the case, calling it a “very fluid situation.”