A 32-year-old Indiana man has been charged with murder for a deadly West Town shooting that stemmed from a fight over a woman, Cook County prosecutors said Wednesday.
Shortly after 2 a.m. on Sept. 6, two men, including the woman’s boyfriend, started fighting at a party in the 2100 block of West Randolph Street, prosecutors said.
Kijuan Burrage, 24, got between the two men before a still unidentified person and Jequan Scales began firing at the group, prosecutors said.
Burrage attempted to run but was struck multiple times and fell to the ground, prosecutors said. A woman at the party was attempting CPR on Burrage when police officers arrived, but he later died at Stroger Hospital.
Surveillance cameras in the vicinity captured the shooting and Scales interacting with the other shooter shortly before shots were fired, prosecutors said. Afterward, Scales and his cohort allegedly fled in a silver Jeep registered to Scales.
Scales was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon the following day in a separate case and was found in possession of a gun that matched a shell casing found at the scene of Burrage’s murder, prosecutors said.
Test results to determine whether a bullet fired from that gun struck Burrage were still pending analysis by Illinois State Police, prosecutors said.
Scales was taken into custody Monday and charged with Burrage’s murder. He admitted to being at the scene of the shooting and having a gun with him that day, prosecutors said.
Judge John F. Lyke Jr. ordered Scales held without bail. He is expected back in court Jan. 25.
