Person in custody after honor roll student killed on way to school on South Side

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A person of interest is in custody Wednesday morning after a shooting on the Southwest Side that left a 17-year-old dead, Chicago police said.

The victim's family identifies the teen as Pedro Ramirez. Two adults were also hurt in that shooting.

"One point, you're just talking, and then from another, he's just gone. And it is very hard to just, like, put that in your mind just that you're never going to see him again," said Adelynn Peña, Ramirez's girlfriend.

The girlfriend of Pedro Ramirez struggles to make sense of boyfriend's murder.

The 17-year-old was a straight-A, honor-roll student at Tilden High School.

Police said the teen was shot several times Tuesday morning in the 5000-block of South Throop Street in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

A small memorial is growing near the scene.

"He always said, 'I will never miss school unless I'm very sick, or unless I'm dying,'" said Mario Rosales, Ramirez's best friend. "He actually died, so it really hurts my heart about those words that he said now."

Police said two men in a van were also shot and are recovering. Officers chased down the suspects a few blocks away.

A GoFundMe for Ramirez's family can be found here.

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