Chinatown Shooting Trial Approaches: Family of Victim Woom Sing Tse Readies for Court Proceedings

CHICAGO (WLS) — It was a crime that shook the Chinatown community to the core.

Close to four years ago, an older gentleman was tragically shot, and the reason remains unclear. With the accused now facing trial in the coming weeks, the victim’s family is bracing themselves to relive the most dreadful day of their lives.

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“He was always smiling. That’s just part of who he is, very friendly, even to strangers,” daughter Susan Lam said.

Lam says her father, Woom Sing Tse, worked hard to provide for his family.

He went from being a cook, after arriving in the states as a young man from China, to owning his own restaurant in the western suburbs.

Tse had settled into an active retirement, going for daily walks in Chinatown.

The 71-year old was walking to his neighborhood newsstand when he was gunned down in December of 2021.

“My dad did not deserve that. It’s cruel, and it was just senseless,” Lam said.

Police say Tse was walking down the sidewalk in the 200-block of West 23rd Place, when a silver car pulled up, and the driver opened fire.

The crime was captured on surveillance video.

William Tse says he watched what happened to his father.

“Over 22 times he was shot at. In front of a school, in front of a school, and there’s children outside playing,” Tse said.

The car sped off, but a suspect was arrested later that day.

Alphonso Joyner has been charged with first-degree murder.

His trial is set to start in a few weeks, and Tse’s family just wants to know why their father was killed.

“The motive was not robbery. Because his money, he had petty cash; it was all there,” Tse said.

Tse’s children say time has not dulled the pain from the loss of their father.

“I’m glad he was able to see us all grow up and have kids and able to see birthdays and graduations for my son and for all the grandkids,” Tse said.

The trial of Joyner is scheduled to begin on August 26. Tse’s family shares that the Chinatown community has been a strong source of support for them over the past few years, with many community members intending to attend the trial.

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