A murder suspect who fled to Oklahoma after allegedly killing a man during a fight last summer in front of a Bronzeville barbershop was ordered held without bond.
Louis Lashley, 44, was charged with first-degree murder in the July 30, 2018 shooting of Omar Norwood after he was arrested in Bronzeville last week by officers who recognized him, Cook County prosecutors and Chicago police said.
On the night of the shooting, Norwood, 36, and his 31-year-old brother went to the barbershop near 47th Street and Forestville Avenue to meet with a man named “James Dean,” prosecutors said at Lashley’s bond hearing on Friday.
About 8:15 p.m., a fight broke out between Norwood and another person named “Mook” who was with Dean, prosecutors said. When Mook cried out for help, Lashley allegedly pulled out a gun and fired it, striking both Norwood and his brother.
When Norwood fell to the ground, Lashley continued to fire, striking him in the head and multiple times in his body, prosecutors said.
A witness who was driving by at the time of the shooting told investigators she heard gunshots and saw Lashley shooting Norwood, prosecutors said. After shooting Norwood, she saw Lashley get inside a black Dodge Durango while holding a gun. Then moments later she saw him get out of the vehicle, without the gun, prosecutors said.
A Chicago police officer who was on-duty in the area earlier in the day had been approached by Lashley about 8 p.m. while she was parked in her vehicle on 47th Street, prosecutors said. Lashley then told the officer “about an incident that happened earlier in the day at a liquor store” on 47th Street.
About 15 minutes later, the officer heard the gunshots and drove to the barbershop, where she saw Lashley get out of the Durango, prosecutors said. Lashley walked past the officer’s car and toward 47th Street.
Norwood and his brother were both taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where Norwood was pronounced dead and his brother was treated for a gunshot wound to his abdomen, authorities said.
A .380 Bersa handgun was later found in the door panel of the Durango, along with Lashley’s driver’s license and Chase bank card, prosecutors said. The handgun matched all 10 cartridge casings found on the scene of the shooting and fingerprints on the Durango’s door matched to Lashley.
Prosecutors said Illinois State Police will be comparing newly collected fingerprints from Lashley to a fingerprint found on the gun’s magazine.
Lashley was seen in the area on video surveillance and was identified as the shooter by several people, prosecutors said. A search of his Facebook account showed he had sent messages after the shooting that said he was in trouble and was going to leave town and go to Mexico.
CPD narcotics officers later learned he had relocated to Oklahoma, prosecutors said.
Police said Lashley was taken into custody on April 2 about a block away from where the shooting had occurred when he was recognized by officers on patrol in the area.
At his bail hearing Friday, an assistant public defender said Lashley was a lifelong resident of Chicago and was recently working as a supervisor and forklift operator.
Lashley’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 26.
