CHICAGO (CBS) — An 18-year-old suspect has been charged in the murder of University of Chicago graduate Dennis Shaoxiong Zheng this week.

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown announced Friday that Alton Spann has been charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon.

Zheng was shot during a robbery at 54th Place and Ellis Avenue on Tuesday afternoon just before 2 p.m.

Chicago Police Deputy Chief Rahman Muhammad said Zheng was walking home from a class when Spann came up, announced a robbery at gunpoint, and shot Zheng in the torso. Spann then took Zheng’s personal belongings – including electronics, Muhammad said.

Spann was then seen entering a running black Ford Mustang that was headed west on 54th Place.

Spann went on to try to sell Zheng’s personal items for about $100 at a cellphone store, police said.

Meanwhile, Area One detectives spotted the Ford Mustang – and Spann getting in – on POD cameras, private cameras, and University of Chicago cameras, Muhammad said. The license plate helped lead detectives to him.

Police said Spann does not have priors as an adult, but he is only 18.

On Thursday, the University of Chicago announced an expanded safety plan. Shuttle bus service has been expanded, and students can also now get free Lyft rides through the day before Thanksgiving – Wednesday, Nov. 24.

Meanwhile, in addition to the patrols, CPD pod cameras – which allow for live monitoring – are also going up in the area. And to ease some international students’ worries, the university made clear there is no racial motive connected to the murder of 24-year-old recent recipient of a master’s degree in statistics.

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