A tragic incident that shook the Chinatown community more than four years ago has finally come to a resolution. Alphonso Joyner, a 27-year-old man, was sentenced to 65 years in prison by a Cook County judge for the senseless murder of 71-year-old grandfather, Woom Sing Tse. The elderly man was taking his regular afternoon walk near his home when he was brutally gunned down in broad daylight, shot more than two dozen times.
In October, Joyner was found guilty of first-degree murder by a jury in just one hour. The sentencing took place on Friday, with Judge Domenica Stephenson handing down a 45-year sentence for murder, along with a 25-year sentencing enhancement. The heinous act took place on December 7, 2021, near South Princeton Avenue and West 23rd Place. Surveillance footage captured the chilling moment when Joyner, driving a silver vehicle, fired multiple shots at Tse in a cold-blooded attack.
The video showed Joyner extending a gun out of his window and firing seven shots at Tse before getting out of his car to deliver more shots at close range as the victim lay on the ground. In total, Joyner fired 26 rounds from a homemade “ghost gun” to end Tse’s life. Police were able to swiftly locate Joyner driving on the Kennedy Expressway shortly after the incident, wearing the same clothes as the shooter. A gun was found in his car, matching the shell casings at the crime scene, and he had gunshot residue on both hands.
The brutal and random nature of this crime shocked the community and left a family without their beloved patriarch. Justice has been served with Joyner’s sentencing, but the loss of Woom Sing Tse will forever be felt by those who knew and loved him. May his memory be honored, and may this tragedy serve as a reminder of the devastating impact of senseless violence.
