Funeral Procession for Murdered Rapper Drives Through Mt. Greenwood

In a site that has become increasingly common in recent years, police vehicles lined the streets as a funeral procession made its way to Mt. Hope Cemetery. 

Michael Coleman, known by his rap name Lil JoJo, was gunned down in Englewood on Sept. 4. The murder drew national media attention as the rap world reacted to his death. 

The Sun-Times has been providing excellent coverage of the murder and subsequent developments. The included Sun-Times video gives a glimpse into the scene outside of the funeral home earlier today.

As the procession made its way out of Mt. Hope officers conducted searches of several vehicles. A police spokesman said no arrests have made and there have been no confirmed reports of gunshots fired. 

More people are buried each day at Mt. Hope Cemetery than any other cemetery in Illinois with an average of 10 to 12 occurring each day, State Sen. Ed Maloney detailed at a community meeting last month where residents voiced their concerns and experiences with disruptive and unruly processions making their way toward the cemetery. 

Alderman Matt O'Shea described the cemetery as the cemetery choice of area gang members. 

"It's ridiculous that we have has to put so much attention on a funeral procession," O'Shea said at the same meeting last month. 

O'Shea had a meeting last week with the cemetery's owners and local elected officials and law enforcement agencies. He described that meeting as the most productive one to date and believes changes will happen that will reduce the impact of funerals on area residents. 

Residents are organizing a demonstration against gang activity at Mt Hope Cemetery on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 11:30 a.m. They will meet at Kennedy Park and march down Western Avenue to 115th Street, then west to Fairfield Avenue. 

A Facebook group has been created for the event.