A 17-year-old boy has been charged with shooting and seriously injuring his friend in front of the victim’s family at their West Garfield Park home.
Donte Johnson shot the 18-year-old man while he was visiting the man’s home on the night of Jan. 5, Cook County prosecutors said Thursday.
The man’s grandmother, mother and sister were in other rooms of the house, in the 4400 block of West Van Buren Street, when they heard the initial gunshots, prosecutors said.
They then saw Johnson continue to shoot the victim until his gun jammed, prosecutors said.
The man’s mother grabbed Johnson, but let him go when she saw he was still holding the gun, prosecutors said.
Johnson then ran off, prosecutors said.
The victim, who suffered 13 gunshot wounds underwent surgery at Stroger Hospital. He is expected to undergo another surgery to remove a bullet that entered his arm and lodged in his throat and couldn’t immediately be removed because it was too close to an artery, prosecutors said. The man also has lost the ability to walk, prosecutors said.
Why Johnson opened fire isn’t known, prosecutors said, adding that the pair had known each other for roughly two years.
The victim and his three relatives who witnessed the shooting identified Johnson as the shooter in photo arrays, prosecutors said.
Johnson, who was arrested Wednesday, has been charged as an adult with attempted murder and aggravated battery.
Johnson was living with his family and attending high school before his arrest, an assistant public defender said.
Judge Mary Marubio ordered Johnson held without bail.
He is expected back in court Feb. 2.
