In a significant development from Chicago, a jury has convicted Alphonso Joyner of first-degree murder in the tragic shooting death of a 71-year-old man, an incident that occurred nearly four years ago in the Chinatown neighborhood.
The verdict was delivered on Thursday after the jury commenced deliberations, ultimately finding Joyner guilty of the fatal shooting.
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The victim, Woom Sing Tse, was killed in 2021 during a walk near an elementary school in Chinatown, an act that left the community shaken.
The jury reached their decision in approximately one hour, bringing a swift conclusion to the trial.
Throughout the court proceedings, the prosecution did not present any motive behind the shooting.
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke expressed that while the verdict cannot undo the grief experienced by Tse’s family, it serves as a measure of justice. “This senseless act of violence robbed Woom Sing Tse’s family of a beloved and doting grandfather, and it traumatized the entire Chinatown community. While today’s guilty verdict cannot erase the pain and grief of Tse’s loved ones, we hope this outcome provides some comfort in knowing that justice has been served,” Burke stated.
The shooting of the 71-year-old man in the middle of the day across the street from an elementary school angered many in the community.
Tse was taking a walk in the 200-block of West 23rd Street in the heart of Chinatown. That’s when police said Joyner, who was 23 years old at the time, fired numerous shots from a car in the street. Then, he got out of the car and stood over Tse before firing more shots.
Prosecutors said a total of 22 rounds were fired.
The Chinatown neighborhood watch responded quickly that day, providing police with numerous videos from security cameras. Police used license plate identification to locate the suspect within an hour of the shooting.
Tse’s family has been waiting for the trial, hoping for justice.
