Man accused in road rage murder said victim ‘needed to be taught a lesson,’ prosecutors say

Keshawn Jackson was driving in Lawndale Monday when he nearly crashed into someone and told the driver that he “needed to be taught a lesson,” prosecutors said.

Jackson, his two young children with him in the car, took out a gun and fired at 67-year-old Patrick Earl, killing him, Cook County prosecutors said in court Wednesday.

“The man wanted to teach the victim a lesson, and it appears he taught him the ultimate lesson and cost him his life,” Judge John F. Lyke Jr. said.

Earl had nearly stuck Jackson’s car around 9:30 a.m. as Jackson pulled onto Cermak Road, prosecutors said. Jackson started following him and, when both stopped at a red light, Jackson rolled down his window, leading a passenger in Earl’s car to “crack” theirs, prosecutors said.

Jackson yelled that Earl “needed to learn how to drive and needed to be taught a lesson,” then fired two shots from his car window and hit Earl in the chest in the 1600 block of South Kostner, prosecutors said.

Earl, of West Garfield Park, died at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Earl’s passenger gave police a description of the shooter and his truck, leading Chicago police officers to pull Jackson over later that day, prosecutors said.

Jackson was arrested after officers found a 9mm handgun in his truck and the shell casings matched those recovered at the scene of the shooting, prosecutors said.

Police said Jackson’s two children, ages 2 and 3, were inside his car at the time of the shooting.

Jackson has previous convictions for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance, prosecutors said.

Lyke ordered Jackson held without bail on a first-degree murder charge.

Jackson was expected in court again July 12.