Watch CBS News

Second man charged in 2024 shooting deaths of two teens in downtown Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A second man has been charged in the shooting deaths of two high school students last year while they were on their lunch break in downtown Chicago.

james-allison.png
James Allison is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of 16-year-old Robert Boston and 17-year-old Monterio Williams near their high school in downtown Chicago in January 2024. Chicago Police

James Allison, 20, was arrested on Monday in Crown Point, Indiana, after police said he was identified as one of the three gunmen who shot and killed 16-year-old Robert Boston and 17-year-old Monterio Williams on Jan. 26, 2024, under the Washington/Wabash CTA station in the Loop.

Allison is charged with two counts of first-degree murder; and one count each of attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.

Another suspect, 22-year-old Tommie Coleman, was arrested in the shooting last week, and also has been charged with two felony counts of first-degree murder, and one count each of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm from an occupied vehicle, and possession of a weapon by a felon.

Prosecutors have said Allison, Coleman, and a third suspect who has since died had a history of disputes with Boston and Williams, who were childhood friends. Allison also was a classmate of Boston and Williams at Innovations High School in the Loop.

monterio-williams-robert-boston.jpg
Monterio Williams (left) and Robert Boston Supplied to CBS 2

After Boston and Williams left school on their lunch break on Jan. 26, 2025, as they were walking in front of the elevators of the Washington/Wabash station, Coleman, Allison, and a third accomplice – all wearing masks – pulled up in an Infiniti SUV, got out of the car, and opened fire, according to prosecutors.

The three gunmen kept shooting for about 15 seconds as bystanders ran for cover and the two victims collapsed to the ground. Both Boston and Williams were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

After the shooting, the three gunmen got back into the Infiniti and drove off, making their way to south suburban Calumet City and Dolton.

Prosecutors said the Infiniti had been stolen from a parking garage at the University of Chicago four days earlier, and the license plate had been replaced with one stolen from another vehicle at a University of Chicago Medical Center parking garage two days before the shooting.

Detectives later got a tip naming the now-dead suspect as one of the shooters, and pointing police to an Instagram video of the three gunmen riding in the Infiniti, singing about wearing masks and riding in a stolen car before getting out and shooting at someone.

At least one witness was able to identify Coleman, Allison, and the third suspect as the shooters, after seeing the Instagram video and other videos of the three on YouTube.

Detectives also were able to compare footage of Allison from surveillance video at Innovations High School to the social media videos of the three suspects, and obtained footage of Allison leaving the school about 90 minutes before the shooting, and later getting into the SUV used in the shooting.

Coleman made his first court appearance on Saturday and was ordered held in jail while he awaits trial. Allison is due to make his first court appearance on Wednesday. Authorities have not named the third suspect who is now dead.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.