Teens charged in attack at bus stop in Champaign
URBANA — Three Champaign teens accused in connection with an armed attack on a woman at a bus stop last week were charged Tuesday in Champaign County Circuit Court.
Two of the youths are 16 and were charged in juvenile court while the third, Emanuel Spencer-Jackson, 19, of the 1100 block of Waters Edge Drive, was charged as an adult.
Assistant State's Attorney Adam Dill said one of the 16-year-olds is charged with armed violence, aggravated battery, mob action and aggravated unlawful use of weapons while the second is charged with aggravated battery and mob action. Spencer-Jackson is charged only with aggravated unlawful use of weapons.
Assistant State's Attorney Adam Dill told Judge Heidi Ladd in juvenile court Tuesday that all three of the teens approached a 20-year-old woman at the bus stop at Goldenview Drive and John Street in west Champaign about 2:30 p.m. Friday.
One of the younger men confronted the woman about an argument she reportedly had with his mother. He is alleged to have hit her in the face with a fist then put a gun to the back of her head and threatened to shoot her.
The other two "cheered him on," Dill said, while the other 16-year-old videotaped the incident with his cell phone, Dill said.
The youth with the gun then reportedly gave it to Spencer-Jackson, who put it in a bag.
The trio was located later at the home of the youth who threatened the woman with the gun. His mother refused to let police search, Dill said, so they got a warrant and found the gun in the home on York Drive and arrested the trio.
That teen is currently on probation for aggravated battery, Dill said.
The other youth also has had prior delinquent adjudications.
Ladd said due to the "extreme seriousness" of the offense, both teens would have to remain in the Juvenile Detention Center until their next court hearings on June 2 and 6, respectively.
Spencer-Jackson is due back in court June 7 with an attorney. He is being held in lieu of $20,000 bond.
I agree with you 100%. Unfortunately Unit 4 wont do that. When it comes to student discipline, they are horrible. I do know for a fact that the 19 year old is no longer a student at Centennial as of last semester. He definetley wasn't an honor roll student considering he had 6 F's last semester.Hopefully since Culver is finally leaving, some order will be restored in the schools. Maybe he can take some of his incompetent administrators with him where ever he goes.
Where in this story did it say that these children were on there way home from school? Who said that these children attend Unit 4 and not another school district? Do any of you have children and if you do, can you honestly say that your children are model citizens? We can teach our children the right way to go but they are so easily persuaded by others and unfortunately make bad decisions. I am not saying that what they did was right because they were very wrong and made very bad choices but they are children and not adults. Adults make bad choices so how do you expect children to be sensible and make good choices? The reason behind this comment is to say know what your children are doing and make sure that they are law abiding citizens before you criticized another child. We all would like to think that our children are perfect and have not done BAD things but they probably have. The only difference is that they have not been caught YET or they have a parent(s) that can have their choices swept under the rug since it happens often
I can say my kids weren't perfect but I know they never did anything like this. They are adult law abiding citizens now. And if you read the article these kids have been in trouble before and their mother appeared to try to keep police out of the house and cover for the kids. When parents set bad examples and then try to cover kids crimes this is what happens.









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