Man faces federal charge after alleged Gold Coast carjacking spree

A man has been hit with a federal charge following a Thursday evening crime spree through the Near North Side during which authorities say he shot his brother as well as an elderly man.

Earrious Moore, 23, faces one felony count of attempted carjacking, the U.S. attorney’s office announced Saturday.

Patrol officers responded about 6 p.m. to an armed carjacking in the 1000 block of North Rush, where Moore stole a Jeep, according to prosecutors and Chicago Police. The officers were then alerted to an attempted carjacking in the 1400 block of North Lake Shore Drive.

Moore allegedly opened fire on an 84-year-old man who refused to give up his Mercedes-Benz S5500, with a bullet grazing the older man’s shoulder, authorities said.

Officers found Moore minutes later in the lobby of a building at 1440 N. Lake Shore Drive and arrested him. He was carrying a handgun with an extended magazine, authorities said.

A witness identified Moore as the elderly man’s shooter, and he later admitted to trying to steal the car, prosecutors said.

“Citizens of Chicago and visitors to our city must be able to live their lives without fear of violent attacks,” John Lausch, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, wrote in a statement. “Our message to would-be carjackers and those using guns to commit crimes is simple: Committing a senseless act of violence like carjacking will earn you a home in federal prison for a long time.”

During the alleged crime spree, Moore carjacked three other vehicles at gunpoint, one of which was being driven by an undercover CPD officer who was unharmed, police said.

In one of those hold-ups, Moore shot and wounded a 37-year-old man after he tried to steal his black Nissan in the first block of East State, police said. Moore is also accused of shooting his 23-year-old brother in the arm and chest about 4 p.m. at an apartment in the 5500 block of West Adams.

Moore is being held at the downtown Metropolitan Correctional Center, prosecutors said. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.