Edward McKissic was so annoyed that a man was spitting while he talked during a card game at a South Side hookah lounge, he shot him to death, Cook County prosecutors said Wednesday.
McKissic was with his girlfriend and playing cards with Meshach Richardson and his brother early Monday when McKissic expressed frustration at the spit coming from Richardson’s mouth, prosecutors said.
When Richardson stepped outside for a cigarette, McKissic followed, grabbed a gun from his waistband and fired at Richardson while his back was turned away, prosecutors said.
McKissic then stood over Richardson’s limp body and allegedly continued to fire outside the lounge in the 700 block of West 77th Street, prosecutors said.
When the gunfire stopped, a security guard and another person from the building opened the front door and saw McKissic standing outside pointing the gun in their direction, prosecutors said.
A concealed carry license holder standing next to the guard in the doorway pulled out his own weapon and fired once, striking McKissic in the arm, prosecutors said.
McKissic took off running but the concealed carry holder followed him and pointed him out to police, who arrested McKissic about a block away, prosecutors said.
Police recovered 10 spent shell casings from McKissic’s gun and counted 17 gunshot wounds on Richardson’s body, prosecutors said.
McKissic was identified as the gunman by several people inside the lounge and a woman who had been walking toward the business when shooting erupted, prosecutors said.
Surveillance video shows McKissic and the victim outside but didn’t capture the shooting, prosecutors said.
McKissic, who was identified by Chicago police as Bobby McKissic, was being treated at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
McKissic was sentenced to probation in 2003 for aggravated unauthorized use of a weapon, prosecutors said.
McKissic is engaged, has several children and worked as a mechanic at a trucking company, according to a defense attorney who said McKissic was defending himself when he opened fire.
“They robbed me,” McKissic said, interrupting his attorney.
Judge Susana Ortiz ordered McKissic held without bail.
