A man from Pullman, Tommie Coleman, has been charged with the fatal shooting of two high school students in the Loop last year. Prosecutors say he was seen in Instagram videos, along with two others, wearing masks and riding in a stolen SUV before and after the attack.
Coleman, 22, is facing two counts of first-degree murder, as well as charges for attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon. Judge William Fahy ordered him to remain in custody, calling the attack a “horrific offense.” The judge described the shooting as an ambush on teenagers and noted its extreme violence.
Authorities say Coleman was part of a group that shot and killed Robert Boston, 16, and Monterio Williams, 17, on January 26, 2024, outside Innovations High School. The shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. near North Wabash Avenue, just a few blocks from Millennium Park.
According to prosecutors, Coleman and two others, including a man who later died in June 2024 and an Innovations High School student who has not been charged yet, got out of a stolen SUV and opened fire on the teens. The shooting lasted for 15 seconds. Boston was hit six times, while Williams was struck three times. Police recovered 22 shell casings from three different weapons at the scene.
Although prosecutors believe the victims were targeted, they did not explain the reason behind the attack. They also did not provide details on why the Innovations High School student involved has not been charged.
The gunfire also put others at risk. A woman standing nearby had a bullet hit her jacket sleeve, leaving her with a bruise. Additionally, a CTA elevator door and a support beam were struck by bullets.
Investigators used surveillance footage and license plate readers to track the movements of the stolen SUV. The uncharged student was seen leaving school early and getting into the vehicle before it circled the school twice and parked nearby. Phone records also linked the suspects to the location of the shooting.
The night of the attack, one of the victims’ mothers gave police a tip. She shared that a student had sent her Instagram videos showing Coleman and others wearing masks and riding in the SUV. In one of the videos, they were singing about wearing masks and shooting someone. Police later obtained these videos through search warrants.
Coleman’s defense attorney, Erica Green, argued that no physical evidence directly connects him to the shooting. She pointed out that witnesses were in a chaotic situation and ran for cover, making identification difficult.
Coleman has a criminal record, including a conviction for unlawful use of a weapon by a felon in DuPage County. He was sentenced to two years in that case. He also has pending warrants for auto theft and possession of a machine gun in Lake County, Indiana, as well as a trespassing case in Chicago.
Coleman is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday.
