A Chicago resident with an extensive criminal background is now facing felony charges following the tragic death of a 2-year-old who allegedly discovered a loaded handgun and accidentally shot himself in a Pullman home. Prosecutors reported that Jamonte Shaw found the 9mm handgun, owned by 31-year-old Johnny Hughes, within the home they shared with Jamonte’s mother and siblings on East 104th Street.
During the incident, Hughes was reportedly asleep on a couch, while Jamonte’s mother was in the kitchen with her 9-year-old and a 4-month-old. Around 12:41 p.m., Jamonte is said to have found Hughes’ gun and shot himself, according to prosecutors.
Jamonte’s mother rushed into the living room, finding her son on the floor with the handgun nearby, as stated by prosecutors. She contacted 911, and emergency responders transported Jamonte to Comer Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He would have celebrated his third birthday on June 12.
Upon arrival, Chicago police officers found Jamonte’s mother sitting on the couch and Hughes walking in a hallway, according to a police report. Officers inquired about the weapon, and Hughes directed them to a bedroom closet, where officers retrieved the firearm from between folded clothes on a top shelf, as noted in the report.
The gun was found loaded and fitted with a laser sight, prosecutors said, with a round that failed to eject properly jammed in the weapon.
Prosecutors mentioned that Hughes expressed remorse at the scene, telling Jamonte’s mother that the child had shot himself. He also told investigators he had been drinking the previous night and claimed that the gun was wrapped in clothing and stored on the closet floor. Hughes speculated that Jamonte might have been searching for juice, also kept in the closet, when he found the firearm.
The incident occurred just 17 days after Hughes was released on pretrial conditions in a pending felony narcotics case, according to court filings.
Hughes is legally barred from possessing firearms due to his criminal past, which includes convictions for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon in both 2016 and 2020. Prosecutors added that his record also encompasses convictions for reckless firearm discharge and aggravated fleeing and eluding, both from 2016.
During a detention hearing, Judge Ankur Srivastava ordered Hughes to remain in custody pending trial, citing his history of firearm offenses, the presence of several children in the home, and his active felony pretrial release when the shooting happened.
Hughes is now facing charges of possessing a firearm as a repeat felon, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon due to a prior conviction, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon with multiple previous convictions, and child endangerment resulting in death.
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