An 18-year-old man is facing charges for possession of a machine gun after Chicago police discovered the weapon in his SUV while dispersing a large crowd following a mass shooting outside St. Sabina Church over the weekend. The shooting, involving at least five gunmen, left seven males aged 17 to 19 injured in the early hours of Saturday.
During the police operation to clear the area, officers noticed a group of young males behaving suspiciously in the vicinity of the shooting scene on West 79th Street. The group entered a black GMC vehicle, but quickly exited and fled upon seeing the police. Suspected cannabis was observed on the vehicle’s center console, prompting officers to place the SUV under surveillance.
At around 3:04 a.m., 18-year-old Jermaine King was detained by police as he attempted to drive away in the SUV. A search of the vehicle uncovered a backpack on the rear floorboard containing a handgun with a fully loaded extended magazine and an auto-switch capable of enabling automatic machine gun fire. King, who admitted ownership of the backpack, is not implicated in the shooting incident.
Despite the state’s detention petition, Judge James Murphy III released King on an ankle monitor with a daily curfew. King is facing charges of unlawful possession of a machine gun, two counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, and a misdemeanor cannabis violation.
In previous reporting on the incident, St. Sabina’s pastor, Fr. Michael Pfleger, commended the police response and provided details of the shooting. Pfleger described how the police attempted to disperse a large crowd gathered outside the church after receiving information about possible armed individuals. The shooting occurred as the crowd was being dispersed, with multiple individuals firing shots, resulting in seven people being injured.
Pfleger praised the efforts of the Chicago Police Department in handling the situation, noting that no fatalities occurred despite the chaotic circumstances. He also announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the shooters.
The incident at St. Sabina Church serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by communities in addressing gun violence and the importance of collaborative efforts between law enforcement and community leaders to ensure public safety.
