Tag Archives: boxer

Boxer Ed ‘Bad Boy’ Brown on life support after shooting

(CHICAGO) The man who helped mold him into a 20-0 professional boxer said “he was going to be a world champion.”

Instead, 25-year-old Ed “Bad Boy” Brown is the latest victim of Chicago’s violence, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting. The child of Garfield Park who wore a Chicago flag uniform whenever he left town to fight was gunned down early Saturday within half a mile of his home, according to police and his co-manager, Mike Cericola.

Brown was sitting in a parked vehicle with a 19-year-old woman about 1:10 a.m. in the 3200 block of West Warren Boulevard when a silver vehicle pulled up and someone inside shot at them, police said. Brown was shot in the head, and the woman was shot in the left leg. Both were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. While Brown was in critical condition, authorities said the woman’s condition was good. Cericola identified the woman as Brown’s cousin.

Later Sunday, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said the hospital said Brown was brain dead and on life support.

Brown lost his mother in the notorious E2 Chicago nightclub stampede, Cericola said, and his father was imprisoned around the same time. So it fell to Brown’s grandmother to raise him — along with Chicago’s park district and boxing community. The result was a sweet kid who unleashed his anger, and power, only when the bell rang. Eventually, Brown’s talent in the boxing ring caught the attention of Las Vegas’ Cameron Dunkin, who managed the super light weight along with Cericola.

Cericola said the boxing ring is often “the scariest place” for people, but it was the “safest” for Brown. He also said the fighter who grew up on the West Side was “done” with any gang involvement.

Brown was returning home from a gym early Saturday when he was shot, according to Cericola. Brown felt he needed to go to the gym to run, the manager said, because he didn’t feel safe running on the streets. Cericola added, “you can’t walk down the streets, let alone run.”

“You can’t sit on your porch, no matter who you are, especially on the west side of Chicago,” Cericola said. “You can’t take your garbage out. You can’t do anything.”

UPDATE: Tale of dog left in pillowcase was hoax; woman charged

Police initially said someone left Woodstock inside a pillowcase tied with duct tape along Route 14. Friday they said that story was a hoax. | Woodstock police 

(WOODSTOCK) The story of a puppy being rescued after being tied up in a pillowcase and dumped along a northwest suburban road was truly heart-wrenching, but police now say it was made up.

The male boxer or boxer mix, just weeks old, was found in a pillowcase secured with duct tape along Route 14 in Woodstock, Woodstock police reported Monday.

The dog was taken to an animal rescue center, where it was named Woodstock and was said to be recovering well, according to police and shelter owners.

Police later found the owner of the puppy’s mother, along with nine siblings; and on Thursday, disorderly conduct charges were filed against a woman for filing a false report, according to a new statement from police.

Police were initially told the dog had been left in the 11500 block of U.S. 14 in a pillowcase, cold and starving.

That report came from a student at local community college, who reported that an adjunct instructor brought the puppy to class and said she’d found it while riding her motorcycle to school, police said.

The student then contacted Hoof, Woof and Meow Animal Rescue in Gilberts, which took the puppy; and also called police to report the apparent animal abuse.

Police said publicity from the case led them to the puppy’s original owners, and a consensual search turned up nine other puppies and their mother, police said.

“As the result of information generated by the previously issued press release and the continued attention given by various media outlets and social websites,” police were able to find them at a Woodstock apartment.

“These puppies appeared to be substantially similar, both in appearance and age (4-5 weeks), to the one found last week. It was determined that the puppy located last week was indeed from this litter, born on or about March 23,” police said.

McHenry County Animal Control took all the puppies until the investigation was ended. The mother was left at the apartment, “as no immediate danger was evident and it was purported to be a therapeutic service dog for one of the members of this household, police said.

The owners told police that Woodstock had been given to Dr. Hope A. Sanchez, a therapist who was working with a family member.

“It was verified that Sanchez was the same adjunct instructor who previously reported to a class of students that a puppy was found in a pillowcase,” police said.

Police spoke with Sanchez on Wednesday, and on Thursday a warrant was issued. She turned herself in later Thursday, police said.

Sanchez, 38, of the 400 block of Woodbine Lane in Fox River Grove, was charged with one felony count of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, police said. She was released after paying 10 percent of a $10,000 bond, and is next scheduled to appear in court May 12.

Police did not say why she made up the story.

All 10 puppies are “doing well” and have been blended with another litter at Hoof, Woof and Meow Animal Rescue at 129 E. Higgins Rd. in Gilberts, which has started a GoFundMe page to help with their care.

“Mom is a beagle/Boston mix, and dad a beagle/boxer,” the shelter posted on its Facebook page.

They will be available for adoption at the end of May. Anyone interested should call (847) 836-7387.

A litter of pups taken from a home in Woodstock will be available for adoption in a few weeks from a shelter in Gilberts. | Hoof Woof and Meow Animal Rescue
A litter of pups taken from a home in Woodstock will be available for adoption in a few weeks from a shelter in Gilberts. | Hoof Woof and Meow Animal Rescue
Hope Sanchez | Woodstock police
Hope Sanchez | Woodstock police
One of 10 puppies from a litter is held up by a volunteer at a GIlberts animal rescue. One of the puppies was originally believed to have been abandoned, but police say that story was false. | Hoof Woof and Meow Animal Rescue
One of 10 puppies from a litter is held up by a volunteer at a GIlberts animal rescue. One of the puppies was originally believed to have been abandoned, but police say that story was false. | Hoof Woof and Meow Animal Rescue