Man held without bail in fatal Chatham shooting over stolen guns

Bail was denied Tuesday for a man accused of fatally shooting another man during a dispute over stolen guns last month in Chatham.

Gregory Sykes, 27, is charged with murder in the death of James Primer, 29, according to a bond proffer prepared by the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.

The shooting, which occurred May 17 in the 8300 block of South Ingleside Avenue, was sparked after Sykes found two of his guns missing from a safe that he kept at another person’s home, prosecutors said. Sykes blamed the homeowner’s cousin for the theft.

Sykes drove to 83rd and Ingleside, got out of his car with two other people and walked over to confront a group of people over his stolen guns, prosecutors said. A fight broke out and Sykes threatened to kill the person who stole his guns.

The fight was broken up and Sykes walked back to his car, reached into the driver’s side door, took out a gun and walked back towards the group, prosecutors said. He encountered Primer and the person he believed took his guns.

Sykes opened fire, ran back to his car and fled, prosecutors said. Primer was struck in the chest and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he died.

The shooting was captured on POD surveillance camera and individuals allegedly identified Sykes as the gunman, prosecutors said.

Sykes was arrested Monday and found to be in possession of 72 bags of suspected cocaine and 299 pills of suspected ecstasy, prosecutors said. He was charged with two felony counts of possession of a controlled substance in the incident.

He appeared a hearing Tuesday where he was ordered held without bail. He is due back in court July 13.