Man charged in Back of the Yards mass shooting that killed 9-year-old Ariana Molina

A Chicago man was charged in a Back of the Yards shooting that killed 9-year-old Ariana Molina and wounded 10 other family members in April.

Octaviano Romero, 39, was charged with first-degree murder and 10 counts of attempted murder, Chicago police said.

He was ordered held pending trial during a detention hearing Monday.

Octaviano Romero

Chicago police

“I was happy,” Ariana’s father, Jose Molina, said on hearing that someone was charged in her death. “At least they got one person; that’s a little bit of hope.”

Detectives told Molina there were “more than three people” involved in the shooting, he said.

About 9:30 p.m. April 13, Ariana and her relatives were celebrating a confirmation in the 2000 block of West 52nd Street when gunfire erupted. Ariana was shot in her head and died from her injuries, officials said.

Balloons and prayers went up April 15 in Back of the Yards in honor of victims of a mass shooting. Eleven. members of a family were shot, and Ariana Molina, 9, was killed.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Two brothers, ages 1 and 8, were also shot several times in the abdomen and hospitalized in critical condition, police said. A 9-year-old boy suffered a graze wound on his hand and was listed in good condition.

Molina said the brothers have been released from the hospital and are in better spirits.

“Everyone’s doing a little bit better, little by little,” Molina said.

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