Teen shot by Chicago cops charged with attempt murder, robbery in separate case

A 16-year-old boy is facing felony charges as an adult in connection with an armed robbery that resulted in a father and son suffering gunshot wounds earlier this month on the South Side.

Anthony Brown, 16, is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and a count of armed robbery, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

He was shot by a Chicago Police officer less than a week after the robbery he’s accused of committing, court records show.

A 19-year-old man used the LetGo app to purchase an iPhone X for $600 and agreed to meet the seller March 3 near St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 2132 E. 72nd St., Assistant State’s Attorney Geetu Naik said at Brown’s bail hearing Wednesday.

The 19-year-old man drove to the location with his 42-year-old father and waited near the church for the seller, Naik and police said. The father and son were approached about 1:20 p.m. by Brown and another person who claimed to have the phone, but asked to see the money before showing it.

When the father took out the $600 in cash, Brown pulled a handgun from his jacket and his accomplice grabbed the cash. Brown held the gun to the father’s head and demanded the man’s wallet and his son’s phone, which were also passed over.

Brown was still holding the gun to the father’s head when the 19-year-old charged him in an attempt to grab the gun and knocked Brown to the ground, Naik said. When Brown got up, he pointed the gun at the 19-year-old and tried to pull the trigger, but the gun appeared to have jammed.

As the 19-year-old ran back to their car, his father stepped between Brown and his son and begged Brown not to shoot.

Brown fired at least three times, Naik said. The father was struck in his left index finger and his son was struck in his left hip. A third bullet struck their car. Brown and the other robber ran off.

Police said the father, whose age was reported as 39, was taken to Trinity Hospital, and his son was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment.

A live 9mm Luger cartridge and a spent .380-caliber shell casing were found by investigating officers at the scene.

Detectives traced the LetGo account to a “known associate” of Brown, and both victim’s identified Brown as the shooter in a photo array, Naik said.

On March 9, Grand Crossing District officers were on patrol blocks from where the shooting took place when they saw Brown and another male walk up to a vehicle and then walk away. The officers, who knew about the earlier robbery, believed another was possibly taking place. When they attempted to stop Brown and the other male, the two ran from the officers, Naik said.

Brown ignored police commands to get on the ground and “began to tug at his pocket while running toward the officers,” according to court documents. A police officer fired and struck Brown in his left buttock.

Prosecutors said Brown was found in possession of a 9mm Luger loaded with 9mm Luger cartridges when he was taken into custody.

Brown faces additional weapons charges as a juvenile, according to court documents. He was released on electronic home monitoring in that case.

Chicago Police records show Brown, who lives a block from where the robbery occurred, was taken back into custody Tuesday on charges connected to the shooting and robbery.

“You are 16 years old but your actions carry very adult consequences,” Judge David Navarro told Brown in court Wednesday and ordered him held without bail.

Brown’s court-appointed attorney said the boy is a high school sophomore and worked last summer at a daycare facility.

He was due back in court April 17.