Anthony Heredia has been charged in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old orphan teen Tierra Franklin after she threw water at a McDonald’s employee.
According to a news release by the Chicago Police Department, Heredia was charged with first-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and possession of a controlled substance and ordered held without bond on July 3. He was previously arrested on July 1, moments after Franklin was fatally shot in the 2500 block of S. Kolin Avenue, near a McDonald’s parking lot in Little Village.
During his bond hearing, Cook County prosecutors reportedly said an employee at the McDonald’s at 4334 W. 26th Street called the 19-year-old, claiming they recognized Franklin from a fight at the fast food restaurant the previous week. However, when he arrived, he was told everything was okay, so he waited in the parking lot as the orphan teen grabbed some food with her relatives. Shortly after, Franklin popped up at the drive-thru and threw a cup of water at the employee, which prosecutors said prompted Heredia to unleash a gun and fire the weapon at her twice as she ran back to her car. He had reportedly done so while on a bike.
The Chicago girl was struck in the back and was then rushed to St. Anthony Hospital by her family, where she was pronounced dead.
In surveillance video of the shooting obtained by police, Heredia was seen returning to the parking lot and retrieving a shell casing. Investigators reportedly matched another shell casing found at the scene with the one in the young man’s pocket when officers arrested him. State records even indicated that he was paroled in March after pleading guilty to reckless discharge of a firearm earlier in the year.
Franklin’s family members told reporters that she was a senior at Curie High School and had dreams of becoming a lawyer after she graduated.
“Looking forward to graduating next year from Curie High School, looking forward to prom,” her aunt Juanita Flowers said.
Family friend, Krystina Ross, added that the orphan lost her mother in April.
“We just lost her mother in April. We’re not even nowhere near healed from that,” she said.
