Deonte Smith charged in Riverdale fatal shooting, police chase

RIVERDALE, Ill. (WLS) -- Deonte Smith, 25, was charged in a deadly Riverdale shooting and police chase that ended on Chicago's Far South Side.

Smith was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated fleeing and eluding.

Riverdale police responded to a reports of a shooting in the 13800-block of South Stewart Avenue in the south suburb just before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

They found two people shot inside the home. Kevin Denson, 35, suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Denson was taken to Metro South Hospital, where he later died. A woman was struck in the arm. She was taken to Ingalls Memorial Hospital. Police said her injury was not life-threatening.

Derrick Spencer, a neighbor, said he heard at least six gunshots and saw a man running out of the house carrying two small children.

"Riverdale police officers received information that a subject was putting children in a vehicle and fleeing the scene. Riverdale officers attempted to stop the vehicle," Riverdale Police Chief David DeMik said.

Officers chased the SUV to Chicago's West Pullman neighborhood. They stopped the vehicle near West 116th and South Laflin streets and ordered Smith out. They arrested him and found the two children, both boys, unharmed.

Spencer said Denson worked at a Chicago hotel and just moved into his home with his family in July. He said he never knew of any problems involving his new neighbors until the shooting and police chase on Tuesday.