Teen shot off-duty Dolton detective in Chatham, prosecutors say

A 17-year-old boy was denied bail Thursday on charges he shot an off-duty Dolton police detective last year in Chatham.

Officials in the south suburb said that Detective Darryl Hope has yet to return to the force while he recovers from the multiple gunshot wounds he suffered during the alleged robbery attempt on April 23 near his Chatham home.

Deshawn Johnson, also of Chatham, is facing felony counts of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm in the incident, Cook County prosecutors said during a hearing Thursday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

Johnson was also shot when Hope returned fire, officials said.

Dolton Police Chief Robert Collins said he was pleased to hear about charges in the case and expressed his thanks to Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson and the officers who were involved in the investigation.

“This incident further illustrates that no member of society is immune to the shards of violence. Not even police officers,” Collins said in an emailed statement.

Collins said Hope, who has been with the department since 2001, was still on medical leave while recovering from the injuries he suffered in the shooting, but is expected to eventually return to the department.

“Detective Hope is a vital part of this organization and his absence has been felt since the incident,” Collins said.

Prosecutors said Johnson and another man who has not been charged approached the 57-year-old detective shortly after midnight as Hope was returning home after work.

Hope heard a voice and turned to see Johnson pointing a gun at him as he walked up the steps to his home, prosecutors said. Hope pulled his .40-caliber handgun from his duty belt and Johnson fired at him, striking the detective in his forearm, leg and abdomen, prosecutors said.

Hope was able to return fire and struck Johnson in his foot, prosecutors said. Police were alerted when Johnson showed up at a northwest Indiana hospital the same day and said he had been shot in Chicago.

At the Indiana hospital, investigators noted that Johnson was wearing only one Nike shoe, prosecutors said. That day, a witness who lives less than a mile from the shooting called police to say there were several items in her yard that might be related to the shooting.

Investigators recovered a Nike gym shoe from the yard with a “bullet strike” in the location where Johnson was wounded. A bloody sock was also recovered and a pool of blood was found inside a vehicle that was used to take Johnson to the hospital in Indiana, prosecutors said.

The DNA from the blood collected on the items was later found to match Johnson, prosecutors said.

A friend of Johnson was found in possession of a 9 mm handgun in May last year that matched shell casings found at the scene of the shooting, prosecutors added.

Johnson was arrested on Wednesday in Jackson Park and was found in possession of a gun, prosecutors said. He was also identified by Hope as the person who shot him.

Johnson has no other criminal history, prosecutors said, and will likely face additional weapons charges in juvenile court.

A court-appointed public defender said Johnson mostly recently worked at a factory.

Judge Sophia Atcherson upheld the no bail order and set Johnson’s next hearing for Feb. 27.