A 17-year-old high school girl who was killed in a revengefirebombing of her home "paid the ultimate price for the reckless,irresponsible conduct" of those responsible, the Waukegan policechief said Wednesday.
Shaquita Lewis was "a totally innocent victim," Chief PhillipStevenson said. "She was at home in bed on a Saturday night" and thearson fire trapped her in a second-floor bedroom, he said.
The intended target was the victim's brother, Steven Lewis, 20,who was among a group that crashed a party Saturday evening in NorthChicago, police said.
The victim, a student at Waukegan High School, worked part timeat the Veterans Administration Hospital in North Chicago, Stevensonsaid.
Ex-convict Douglas Coleman, 31, of Waukegan, and David Bryant,20, and Tyrone Davidson, 16, both of North Chicago, were charged withmurder and aggravated arson. Coleman is accused of walking into theliving room of the girl's home and touching off the firebomb.
Lake County State's Attorney Michael J. Waller said Colemancould face the death penalty if convicted. Coleman has served fivefelony prison sentences since 1980, authorities said.
Steven Lewis wasn't home in the two-story frame house in the900 block of North Clark St. about midnight Saturday when a Molotovcocktail was tossed as four family members slept upstairs, Stevensonsaid.
Curtis Lee, the stepfather of Shaquita and Steven Lewis, and his6-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son were asleep in one bedroom.Lee, a widower, tossed the two younger children out a window. Hethen made several attempts to rescue Shaquita, who was in anotherbedroom, before leaping himself, the chief said. An awning helpedbreak their falls. They had only minor injuries.
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