A 26-year-old man from Chicago was taken into custody on Thursday after prosecutors alleged that he shot his mother four times and then targeted a Chicago Police sergeant shortly afterward. According to investigators, he expressed a desire to shoot a police officer following a recent “spiritual awakening.”
Judge James Costello ordered Treavor Taylor to be held on charges including attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and aggravated battery of a peace officer.
Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Pekara presented a detention proffer outlining that the series of crimes commenced shortly after 11 p.m. on a Saturday in the 11300 block of South Indiana Avenue. Taylor and his 63-year-old mother shared a first-floor unit in a two-flat building.
Pekara explained that the 63-year-old woman was watching television in bed when she heard Taylor pacing outside her bedroom. After hearing gunfire, she began to scream for help. She allegedly saw Taylor at her bedroom door before he fled in his Toyota Corolla.
The injured woman managed to reach the front porch and call for help, contacting her other son and 911. She was subsequently taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds to her thigh, ankle, and buttocks.
Minutes later, less than two miles from the initial scene, a CPD sergeant was driving her marked squad car towards the Calumet (5th) District station. As she turned north on Corliss Avenue from 114th Street, Taylor was reportedly driving south in his Corolla.
As the vehicles came within a few feet of each other, Taylor allegedly fired five rounds through his windshield at the sergeant. One bullet hit her upper left thigh, and her squad car was struck twice. She pulled over and reported the shooting over the radio.
Pekara stated that the sergeant’s dashcam captured the incident, clearly showing smoke from Taylor’s windshield during the shooting. The sergeant received treatment for her gunshot wound at a hospital.
Meanwhile, back at the initial shooting scene, Taylor’s brother had arrived and was with officers when he received an apology text from Taylor. The brother called Taylor and arranged to meet at a gas station on 111th Street. Officers escorted the brother to the location, where Taylor arrived in his Corolla and was apprehended.
Police recovered two 9mm handguns from Taylor’s vehicle—one on the front passenger seat with a round in the chamber and another on the passenger floorboard with an empty magazine. Pekara noted that an ATF trace suggested Taylor purchased both firearms at local sporting goods stores.
An analysis by the Illinois State Police lab found that the casings discovered in Taylor’s car and those at his mother’s doorway were fired from one of the guns recovered from his car, according to Pekara. Tests on Taylor’s hands reportedly returned positive results for gunshot residue.
After being informed of his Miranda rights, Taylor allegedly confessed to shooting his mother, stating that he hoped she would survive to suffer. Regarding the sergeant, Taylor reportedly said he wanted to shoot a cop and was indifferent to whether they survived, claiming a long-standing desire to target a police officer following a spiritual awakening.
Taylor also faces allegations of assaulting officers and a lockup keeper while in custody. He was sent for a mental health evaluation at a hospital before appearing in court.
Pekara mentioned that Taylor has a prior arrest for aggravated speeding in 2019.
