May 03--An 18-year-old man was denied bail Tuesday after prosecutors said he fired the first shot in a shootout on the South Side that left a 36-year-old man fatally wounded.
Kashai Jones, of the 1700 block of East 70th Street, was charged earlier with first-degree murder in the death of Deitrick Stogner, of the 4600 block of South Prairie Avenue, officials said. The fatal attack happened about 1:20 p.m. Saturday, in the 100 block of West Garfield Boulevard.
According to court documents, Stogner and three of his friends drove to a Currency Exchange at 148 W. Garfield Blvd. Stogner and two of the friends went inside and afterward, began walking to the car that was parked in a lot.
Jones and three of his friends who were in a vehicle, pulled into the same parking lot. Jones got out of the passenger seat and started firing a Glock 9 mm semi-automatic handgun at Stogner and his friends, prosecutors said.
Stogner and his friends tried to flee unscathed, but one of the bullets struck Stogner in the abdomen. Before falling to the ground, Stogner grabbed his 9 mm handgun and fired back at Jones, prosecutors said.
Stogner was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital where he was later pronounced dead, officials said.
Jones ran to a nearby Checker's restaurant and tossed his weapon. A witness saw him and tried to help him because he had been shot in the knee, prosecutors said.
When police arrived, Jones was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was placed into custody. Police recovered the Glock that had an extended clip capable of holding 50 rounds. They also recovered Stogner's weapon that was lying next to him, prosecutors said.
A witness at the scene identified Jones as the person who started the shootout in the parking lot. Video surveillance at the Currency Exchange revealed Jones exiting his car and firing at the victims, prosecutors said.
Jones' attorney, Davor Sicel, said his client is a senior at Simeon Career Academy, and was on a wait list to attend Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
"The issue is who shot first... this could easily go down as a self-defense case judge," Sicel said.
Jones appeared Tuesday afternoon at a bail hearing where Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan ordered him held without bail.
