An 18-year-old from Chicago, Illinois, has been charged with shooting at two off-duty police officers while he was out on pretrial release for two felony gun cases in the juvenile court system, officials said.
Two cops were in a car in the 1200 block of West 13 Street on the evening of June 3 when multiple gunshots were fired in their direction, court documents that CWBChicago obtained state.
A man on a bike was seen shooting at them, and a black sedan that may have been involved was spotted in the area, as well, the off-duty officers said.
When the Chicago Police Department reviewed surveillance footage, an investigator “immediately” recognized Derrien Johnson as the shooter, an arrest report revealed.
At the time of the shooting, the man was free ahead of his upcoming trial for two weapons cases from when he was a minor.
Prosecutors alleged that Johnson shot at the cops’ car “numerous” times.
In a detention order for Johnson, Judge Susana Ortiz stated that the young man had already admitted to firing the gun.
“Among the other reasons Ortiz gave for detaining Johnson was the fact that he is on juvenile release for two weapons cases,” CWBChicago reported.
The teen has been charged with two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm toward an occupied vehicle and manufacture-delivery of marijuana. No charges were filed in relation to the alleged victims’ occupations, as prosecutors were not able to determine if Johnson knew the men were cops.
Johnson has become the nineteenth person who allegedly attempted to or succeeded in shooting or killing someone while on pretrial release in Chicago in 2024, according to the local outlet.