Second teen charged in killing of retired Chicago police bomb technician: cops

A 17-year-old boy is the second teen now accused of fatally shooting retired Chicago Police Officer Larry Neuman in his West Garfield Park neighborhood earlier this month.

The 17-year-old, whose name was not released, is charged with murder in the June 20 slaying of the 73-year-old Neuman, who was fatally shot in the 4300 block of West Monroe Street.

The teen is also charged with the apparently unrelated armed robbery of a man on the West Side in November 2023, police said. He is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing Saturday, police said.

Earlier this week, 16-year-old Lazarious Watt was also charged with murder in Neuman’s death.

Neuman was a “pillar” of his beloved West Garfield Park community, according to Pastor Paul Sims of St. Michael Missionary Baptist Church, where Neuman was a member for 30 years as well as a pastor.

Neuman was a bomb technician who retired in 2010. He worked for the police department for 28 years.

A transportation security explosives specialist, Neuman joined the TSA in 2010 and worked at O’Hare and Midway airports, said a spokesperson for the agency. In that position, Neuman trained the screening workforce at both airports to detect explosives and other potential threats.

“He spent his entire career safeguarding our city and spent his retirement as a reverend, speaking out against the violent crime that’s plaguing our neighborhoods,” Police Supt. Larry Snelling said earlier.

Visitation for Neuman will be from 3-8 p.m. Friday at St. Michael Missionary Baptist Church, 4106 W. Monroe St. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Michael.