A man has been charged with murder in the killing of a 14-year-old boy over the weekend in Rosemont in what police described as a dispute among “rival gang members.”
Cesar Garay, 20, of Rosemont, was charged Monday with first-degree murder in the Friday slaying of Patrick Boswell, 14, of Des Plaines, according to a release from Rosemont police. Garay was arrested Sunday, police said.
Rosemont police Cmdr. Gregory Nazuka had said authorities had no updates in the case to report as of Monday afternoon.
Earlier, grief counselors met with students throughout Des Plaines School District 62 on Monday after Patrick’s shooting Friday night.
Patrick was killed just before 9 p.m. in the 10400 block of Carol Court between two six-flat buildings.
Patrick was shot after he and several acquaintances came across a man as they were walking in the 7100 block of Chestnut Street in Rosemont, according to the news release. A verbal dispute with the man ended with Patrick’s shooting, according to police.
“This was an isolated incident between rival gang members,” police said in the release.
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A Saturday autopsy determined the teen died of a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
After Garay’s arrest, he confessed to shooting Patrick, police said. Garay was scheduled to appear in bond court Tuesday.
Patrick was a student at Des Plaines’ Iroquois Community School, where classes resumed Monday after winter break.
“The social worker team met with the staff of Iroquois and discussed what they need to look for” with grieving students, said Mindy Ward, spokeswoman for District 62. “They prepared them and gave them resources.”
She said students were able to speak with counselors one on one.
“They talked about what happened and how you feel when someone dies and what you can do to grieve and to console each other,” she said. “Particularly at the middle school level, we had social workers there, too, if students needed to talk to someone about their feelings or about what they heard or knew.”
Ward said Patrick’s death had an impact across the community and district because Iroquois, which has 480 students, draws pupils from around Des Plaines.
She said the counseling and support staff would remain at Iroquois all week to assist students and staff members. Ward said the district sent a letter to parents Monday detailing resources available to students.
“People are coming together,” Ward said. “They’re talking about what can be done. It’s been a very positive day for a very negative situation.”