Chicago cops arrest suspects in murder of Dwyane Wade's cousin

Police in Chicago have arrested two men accused of fatally shooting Nykea Aldridge, a cousin of NBA star Dwyane Wade, marking the latest chapter in a case that has put a spotlight on the wave of gun violence that has killed 73 people in the Windy City so far in August.

Another four people were killed and at least 17 were wounded in shootings in the city on Sunday and early Monday morning.

The alleged shooters in Aldridge's case, Darwin Sorrells Jr., 26 and Derren Sorrells, 22, were both on parole for gun convictions, Chicago police said on Sunday. They are charged with first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder.

Darwin Sorrells Jr and Derren Sorrells have both been charged with first-degree murder of Nykea Aldridge — ZayEscobar (@ZayEscobar)August 28, 2016

Aldridge was walking with her three-year-old child on Chicago's South Side last Friday when she was caught in the crossfire of shootout and fatally wounded. Her child was unharmed.

Wade, who grew up on the South Side and now plays for the Chicago Bulls, tweeted about the shooting last week, sparking a national conversation about violence in the city.

"My cousin was killed today in Chicago," Wade wrote "Another act of senseless violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO reason. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough." One night earlier, Wade had appeared on an ESPN panel to talk about gun violence.

Republican nominee Donald Trump took the opportunity to double-down on his "what have you got to lose" appeal to black voters, but the tweet was met a firestorm of criticism — not least because Trump misspelled Wade's first name in his message.

"Dwayne Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago," Trump wrote on Twitter on Friday. "Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP."

On Monday, Trump continued his campaign for the black vote.

"Look how bad it is getting!" he wrote on Twitter. "How much more crime, how many more shootings, will it take for African-Americans and Latinos to vote Trump = SAFE!"

Inner-city crime is reaching record levels. African-Americans will vote for Trump because they know I will stop the slaughter going on!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)August 29, 2016

Chicago has been plagued by shootings over the past year. At least 438 people have been fatally shot since the beginning of 2016, and another 2,420 have been shot and wounded. Homicides in the city are up 47 percent compared to 2015's year-end total.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said on Saturday that gangs are driving the majority of the city's crime. City officials believe that around 1,400 individuals are behind 85 percent of the gun violence.

Follow Tess Owen on Twitter: @misstessowen