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BREEZY WITH SOME RAIN 58 • 43 FORECAST, A4 | SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2021 | nwi.com Ford idling Region plant Workers to be laid tered for the week along with Lear, for instance, makes seats continue building high-quality tems. Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant, for the Ford Explorer, Lincoln Avi- vehicles that continue to be in Ford already had to reduce op- o for a week amid Dearborn Truck Plant and Lou- ator and Police Interceptor Util- high demand among our dealers erations to one shift for a week isville Assembly Plant. Ford also ity that are manufactured at the and customers. One of those solu- at the Chicago Assembly Plant global parts shortage plans to shut down the transit side Chicago Assembly Plant. They are tions is sequencing down weeks, earlier this year. The Alliance for of the Kansas City Assembly Plant delivered with no inventories built allowing us to keep building our Automotive Innovation estimates JOSEPH S. PETE and operate the Ohio Assembly up so the supplier’s operations are must-have vehicles for custom- the auto industry in America [email protected], 219-933-3316 Plant at a reduced level because synced with Ford’s. ers when we have adequate parts could end up producing 1 million Ford plans to temporarily shut of parts shortfalls. “The global shortage is a ect- suppliers.” fewer cars this year as a result of down the Chicago Assembly Plant The shutdown will a ect ing all automotive manufacturers The global semiconductor the parts shortages. and lay o workers next week as a thousands of automotive jobs at as well as other industries,” Ford shortage was caused by coronavi- Dearborn-based Ford is can- result of the global semiconductor the Chicago Assembly Plant in Vice President of Manufacturing rus pandemic-related disruptions celing the traditional summer shortage that’s greatly disrupted Hegewisch, the Chicago Stamping and Labor A airs John Savona and natural disasters. It’s particu- shutdowns when maintenance is the automotive industry. Plant in Chicago Heights, and at wrote in a letter to workers. “Our larly dire for automakers because done at the plants and workers go The automotive plant on the suppliers throughout the Region MP&L, purchasing and manufac- cars rely more on computers as on vacation because of the pro- banks of the Calumet River on such as Lear Corp. in Hammond, turing teams have been working they become more technologically duction disruptions. Chicago’s far South Side, just UGN in Valparaiso and Flex-N- tirelessly to fi nd solutions to keep advanced, such as with lane-as- across the state line, will be shut- Gate on the South Side. our plants running so you can sist and collision-avoidance sys- Please see FORD, Page A5 Cops: Man dies after shootout Suspect shot during trac stop by ocer

LUCAS GONZALEZ [email protected] 219-933-3250 CALUMET CITY — A man has died after being shot by a police o cer when he allegedly raised a handgun at the o cer during a tra c stop in late March, au- thorities said. Alvin A. Burrage, 26, of Calu- met City, was pronounced dead about 7:19 a.m. Thursday at the University of Chicago Medical Center, Cook County medical examiner records show. MARY FREDA PHOTOS, THE TIMES The manner and primary Lake Central High School seniors Graham Weber, left, Lilah Lopez, center, and Thao Nguyen discuss seroprevalence — the percentage of cause of Burrage’s death was still individuals in a population who have antibodies to a certain disease — in Kendal Smith’s chemistry classroom on Wednesday. The students are pending Friday. conducting coronavirus antibody research. Burrage was shot March 25 af- ter he was stopped by a Calumet City o cer, then got a handgun from his car and began to point Real-life STEM support Please see BURRAGE, Page A5 Local lab steps in to mine the change. Seroprevalence is the percent- Plea o er for enable students to age of individuals in a population who have antibodies to a certain finish COVID study disease. teen accused The fi rst round of antibody MARY FREDA testing, conducted in July, re- [email protected], 219-853-2563 vealed out of more than 750 sta , of murder, rape ST. JOHN — Nearly a year ago, or 60% of Lake Central’s eligible SARAH REESE three Lake Central seniors began employee population, a majority [email protected], 219-933-3351 research to measure the impact of sta tested, had not yet been CROWN POINT — A man of COVID-19 in their commu- exposed to COVID-19. accused of killing a woman and nity. Results have yet to come back raping two others in Hammond Now, Lilah Lopez, Thao from the group’s second round when he was 15 years old has been Nguyen and Graham Weber are of antibody testing, and the o ered a plea agreement calling hoping to draw further con- students hope to know more by for a 65-year clusions about the presence mid-May. sentence, attor- of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in “As time has increased, there’s neys said Friday. teachers and sta within the going to be more people who Omarion E. Lake Central School Corp. have COVID. That’s just how the Wilbourn, 18, With graduation looming, the Graham Weber, a Lake Central High School senior, presents initial nature of it is,” Weber said. has been in cus- students are awaiting results fi ndings from coronavirus antibody research conducted by himself and “We don’t know by how much. tody since 2017 from a second round of coro- seniors Lilah Lopez and Thao Nguyen. We don’t know the trends within on charges al- navirus antibody testing and that. It’s hard for us to really give leging he raped a looking to publish their initial “Our hope is that kids will hear out Alverno, the second round a rough estimate because there’s 14-year-old girl Wilbourn fi ndings. this story and focus on STEM of tests would not have been a chance of someone testing pos- and 25-year-old Roughly 600 school sta were studies and maybe a future in possible. itive, who may have not had it, woman July 16 and Aug. 8, 2017, part of a second round of testing laboratory medicine,” Sierra “This is real valuable science, or vice versa, someone who had respectively, and killed Lucia in February, which almost didn’t Breeden, director of marketing and it really gets valuable when may not test positive.” Gonzalez, a 25-year-old mother, happen, as the group fell short of and customer experience at Al- you start looking at the change Nguyen added the results Aug. 21, 2017, in her home in the raising funds. verno, said in a news release. in seroprevalence that occurs need to accurately represent the 7500 block of Alexander Avenue. Then came Hammond-based Lake Central chemistry because of working at school,” population, and it isn’t as sim- Wilbourn’s attorney, John Alverno Laboratories, which teacher Kendal Smith, who pre- Smith said, noting two data sets, ple as dividing those who tested Maksimovich, asked to continue stepped in and covered the cost viously had the students in his one before teachers return, and of the tests. AP Chemistry class, said with- one after, are needed to deter- Please see STUDY, Page A5 Please see WILBOURN, Page A5

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00 1 $3 • D • Vol. 112, No. 250 (USPS 629-960) and Vol. 110, No. 210 (629-960). • A Lee Enterprises Newspaper • Copyright 2021 Follow us online: facebook.com/nwitimes twitter.com/nwi The Times NEWS Saturday, April 10, 2021 | A5 Family of boy killed Islamic leaders dispel by cop to view video DON BABWIN The video has been of intense myths about vaccines Associated Press‌ interest in the city, particularly CHICAGO — The family of the after the medical examiner’s of- DAVID SHARP AND MARIAM FAM 13-year-old boy who was fatally fice revealed the age of the person Associated Press‌ shot by a Chicago police officer who was shot. ‌PORTLAND, Maine — Islamic last month will watch the video According to police, officers leaders are using social media, of the shooting next week, the were dispatched to the Little Vil- virtual town halls and face-to-face family’s attorneys said Friday. lage neighborhood on the city’s discussions to spread the word that In a brief statement issued West Side shortly before 3 a.m. it’s acceptable to be vaccinated for shortly after the funeral for after the department’s ShotSpot- the coronavirus during daily fast- Adam Toledo, attorneys Joel ter technology detected the ing that happens during Ramadan, Hirschhorn and Adeena Weiss sound of gunshots. When police the most sacred month of the year Ortiz did not say which day the arrived, Toledo and a 21-year- for Muslims. family would watch the videos or old man ran away. While chasing During the holy month which detail what other materials might the teen, there was an “armed begins next week, Muslims across be made available to them in the confrontation” during which an the world abstain from all food March 29 police shooting. officer shot the boy once in the and drink from sunrise to sunset It’s not clear what the video chest, police said. A handgun before typically congregating for shows. The Chicago Police De- was recovered and the 21-year- evening prayers and iftar meals. partment has said the boy had a old man was arrested on a misde- The vaccine discussion centers on handgun, and Mayor Lori Light- meanor charge of resisting arrest, whether an inoculation amounts MARY ALTAFFER, ASSOCIATED PRESS‌ foot — in demanding police find according to police. to the prohibited act of ingesting Patients wait Thursday in the observation area after being inoculated whoever supplied the weapon Initially, the review board said something while fasting. with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination to the boy — has suggested that it could not legally release the It doesn’t, said Mohamud Mo- site inside the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center in Staten Island, New he was involved in street gangs. video because the person who hamed, imam of the Maine Mus- York. Among the questions that po- was shot was a minor. But after lim Community Center, who is lice have declined to answer is calls for its release, including working to assure Muslims at his rather than facts.” munity service coordinator at the whether the boy fired the gun at from Lightfoot and Police Su- Portland mosque that getting the But protecting others is a core Maine Muslim Community Cen- the officer before he was shot or perintendent David Brown, the vaccine is perfectly fine but finds teaching of Islam, and Kukaj said ter. “Protecting lives is the ultimate raised the weapon and pointed it board reversed course. that some people are clinging to Muslims are taught to do what- goal in Islam.” at the officer. It has been several days since misperceptions. ever they can to save lives. Getting Dr. Hasan Shanawani, president The Civilian Office of Police then. The family’s attorneys did “There is a lot of bad informa- vaccinated is a way to do that: “Of of the American Muslim Health Accountability, which investi- not address the delay in the vid- tion going around,” said Mohamed, course, we have to save our own Association, said he’s encouraging gates police shootings in Chi- eo’s release, but made a point of who devoted his address during life first.” everyone to be vaccinated even if cago, did not respond to calls for saying that, “The City of Chi- recent Friday prayers to promot- Out west, the Utah Muslim Civic that means getting the jab during comment. The board has only cago, the Chicago Police Depart- ing the vaccine. A vaccine clinic is League has partnered with the Salt Ramadan. said that the video would be made ment and the Civilian Office of being held at the mosque on Sat- Lake County Health Department A lung specialist, he said he has public after the family has had a Police Accountability have been urday. to put on two vaccination clinics treated dozens if not hundreds of chance to view it. very cooperative. He and others seeking to reas- including a drive-through one at people with COVID-19 and seen sure the faithful have the theolog- a mosque that was held before Ra- firsthand the horrific toll the dis- ical backing of top Islamic author- madan. The group also organized ease can take. ities. Saudi Arabia’s highest cleric, a virtual town hall Thursday night “This is not just a decision that Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al featuring imams and health pro- weighs on you,” Shanawani said prison, Jatkiewicz said. Sheikh, and Sunni Islam’s top re- fessionals to discuss issues sur- from his office in Michigan. “It Wilbourn Boswell told Wilbourn to dis- ligious leader in Lebanon, Grand rounding vaccination and fasting. weighs on everybody.” From A1 cuss the plea offer with his attor- Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Latif De- The goal is raising awareness and Similar conversations have ney. rian, have both said that getting “myth-busting,” said the league’s played out in other countries. Wilbourn’s trial — which is cur- The judge declined to grant the coronavirus vaccine does not executive director, Luna Banuri, The British Islamic Medical As- rently set to begin May 3 — be- Maksimovich’s request to post- constitute breaking one’s fast. who found that many community sociation circulated a WhatsApp cause he was still reviewing evi- pone Wilbourn’s trial, telling the Still, Safiya Khalid, a city coun- members had wanted to avoid get- message reassuring people that dence in the case. A technical is- attorney to talk with Wilbourn cil member in Lewiston, about 30 ting vaccinated during Ramadan. “taking the Covid-19 vaccines sue prevented him from viewing and return to court April 19. miles north of Portland, sparked a “When you are starting the currently licensed in UK does not some of the material, he said. Wilbourn’s name was not ini- lively conversation among fellow month of fasting, there’s a sense invalidate the fast during Ramadan Lake County Supervisory tially released Aug. 28, 2017, when Muslims when she raised the issue of resolve. ... So a lot of folks are as per the opinion of the majority Deputy Prosecutor Michelle Jat- Hammond police announced they on social media. Others questioned trying to make sure that there are of Islamic scholars.” kiewicz said a written plea offer had arrested a 15-year-old boy whether the vaccine violated fast- no disruptions during that period,” Association vice president Dr. was given to Maksimovich. She and that DNA evidence tied him ing — until an imam weighed in. she said. “Even if they believe that Wajid Akhter said there is a grow- first heard he was having a tech- to the two rapes and Gonzalez’s “We need more communica- they can take the vaccine and it ing understanding among Muslims nical issue Thursday, she said. homicide. tion,” said Khalid, who has already doesn’t affect their fast ... (what) in his community of the impor- Maksimovich said the plea offer Lake Criminal Court Judge had her first vaccine dose and will they’re not wanting to do is to get tance of not delaying vaccinations was delivered about a week ago, Thomas Stefaniak granted a pros- get her second shot during Rama- sick.” due to Ramadan. But for any who and the coronavirus pandemic has ecutor’s request to waive Wil- dan. “You can do this and protect Medicine and fasting is noth- may be wavering, he emphasized made it difficult for him to talk to bourn to adult court in August your community and your family.” ing new. Muslims may forgo fast- that COVID-19 represents a threat Wilbourn and other incarcerated 2018. On New York’s Staten Island, ing if they fall ill and make up for that cannot be ignored. clients. Stefaniak also granted part of imam and NYPD chaplain Tahir “missed” days at a later time, after “How many fasts are you going Inmates have periodically been Wilbourn’s request to suppress Kukaj, whose mosque was ad- Ramadan. to miss if you catch COVID? How in quarantine in the Lake County some of his statements to Ham- ministering 1,000 vaccines on “If you miss a day because of the many fasts are you going to lose if Jail, and the facility’s Telmate mond detectives during an inter- Thursday and Friday, said he has effects of the vaccine, then that is you get long COVID? ... And how communication system has been view Aug. 22, 2017. heard all sorts of misconcep- not a sinful act,” said Ahmed Ab- many fasts will you lose if you down, he said. The Court of Appeals on July tions about vaccines, and some dirahman, a respiratory therapist die from COVID?” Akhter said. Lake Criminal Court Judge Di- 31, 2019, upheld Stefaniak’s deci- “people tend to believe nonsense at a Portland hospital and com- “You’re never going to fast again.” ane Boswell asked Jatkiewicz to lay sion, finding Wilbourn reasonably out the terms of the plea offer for believed he was in custody at the the record. time of the interview, and police The agreement calls for Wil- failed to advise him of his rights bourn to plead guilty to murder under the U.S. Supreme Court’s and two counts of rape, with a Miranda ruling and Indiana’s ju- 45-year sentence on the murder venile waiver statute. charge and concurrent terms of The Indiana Supreme Court de- 20 years on each rape charge. If clined to review the Appeals Court Wilbourn accepts the offer, his ruling in January 2020. total sentence would be 65 years, Maksimovich entered the case she said. last year, after Wilbourn’s pre- If Wilbourn were convicted vious attorney, Jamise Perkins, at trial of murder, two counts of temporarily served as judge pro rape and several lesser charges, tempore in Lake Criminal Court- he could face up to 178 years in room 2.

at the officer before getting back Burrage into his vehicle and driving away From A1 while the officer took cover, po- lice allege. it at the officer, police have said. Police later learned Burrage MARY FREDA PHOTOS, THE TIMES ‌ The officer stopped Burrage was at St. Catherine Hospital Lake Central High School seniors Thao Nguyen, left, Lilah Lopez, center, and Graham Weber explain findings about 4:53 p.m. that day in the in East Chicago, where he was Wednesday from their initial study about the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in teachers and staff within 500 block of Jeffrey Avenue on placed under arrest. He was later the Lake Central School Corp. suspicion of a traffic violation. transferred to a trauma center in Police did not specify the nature critical condition, police said. of the traffic violation. Illinois State Police Crime Study Immediately after he was Scene Investigators recovered a stopped, Burrage stepped out of handgun that was in Burrage’s From A1 car, reached into the back to re- possession from the scene of the trieve a handgun, and began to shooting. positive by the total population. raise it at the officer, police allege. Burrage was charged with “Even though we know that As he began to point the gun, attempted murder of a police numerically more people tested the officer fired one shot, strik- officer, and additional charges positive, we don’t know whether ing Burrage. Burrage then led were pending, a March 27 news or not the actual seroprevalence the officer on a foot chase and release from the Police Depart- of the population increased be- continued to fire several rounds ment states. cause we don’t know whether or not it’s statistically significant,” Lopez chimed in. Weber added the group is conductor shortages. We will get looking forward to seeing trends Ford through this, working together, within the data, including if From A1 and we appreciate all you do for certain staff members across Ford every day.” the district, or those who live Thao Nguyen, left, and Lilah Lopez, right, both seniors at Lake Central “We understand these sched- The United Auto Workers in a specific ZIP code, have a High School, listen to chemistry teacher Kendal Smith during a ule disruptions are inconve- union encouraged its members higher chance of contracting Wednesday presentation of their initial coronavirus antibody research, nient,” Savona wrote in the letter to file for unemployment insur- COVID-19. conducted with senior Graham Weber. to workers. “We also appreciate ance benefits while the plant was Lopez, Nguyen and Weber that this year’s summer schedule idled next week. agreed they didn’t expect the ning on having multiple trials later on, we decided to do a sec- may be disappointing to those Ford employs 5,810 workers at project to go this far when they for this. This was just going to ond trial.” who look forward to time away the Chicago Assembly Plant and began the research last summer. be one study figuring out the Smith told The Times re- during the traditional shut- 1,290 at the Chicago Stamping Chemistry teacher Smith first baseline seroprevalence of our cently it has been remarkable down weeks. We thank you for Plant. Thousands more work approached Lopez with the op- staff,” Lopez said. to see the students conduct the your flexibility, understanding at Tier 1 suppliers like the Lear portunity, who later brought in “As we went along, we de- research during a pandemic. and your dedication — as we’ve factory in Hammond just south Nguyen and Weber to work on cided to collect more data on it; “They’ve accomplished more seen throughout COVID-19 of the East Chicago South Shore the project. try and figure out if there were than any student I’ve ever had,” 00 1 challenges and this year’s semi- Line train station. “We weren’t originally plan- any connections in there. A lot Smith said of the trio.