Three people are now facing federal charges in connection with the alleged attempted robbery-turned-officer-involved shooting in south suburban Country Club Hills earlier this week, including the two offenders shot by authorities.
Amir Fagan and Demond Edwards, who were injured during the scuffle, have each been charged with attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, while Chashonn Toney faces one count of forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with a federal officer. The charges were unveiled in a criminal complaint made public Thursday.
The Tuesday afternoon shooting near 189th Street and Loretto Lane occurred during a firearms trafficking operation that included Illinois State Police, the FBI and Chicago police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives previously stated.
The newly filed complaint reveals a more detailed account of the operation and subsequent confrontation.
Two undercover ATF officers and a confidential informant had planned to engage in a controlled firearms purchase in Country Club Hills on Tuesday evening as part of a larger, ongoing investigation into a firearms-trafficking scheme in the Chicago area, the complaint states. In the days leading up to the purchase, undercover officers conducted two other controlled purchases of firearms.
Leading up to Tuesday’s purchase, the two undercover officers and the informant, who has been cooperating with federal officials for nearly a decade, met at a staging area in Midlothian before picking up a fourth person who directed them to a residence on the 18800 block of Loretto Lane, per the complaint. They arrived at the residence in an undercover vehicle at around 4:48 p.m.
At 5:24 p.m., a white Dodge Dart pulled up behind the undercover vehicle. The complaint, citing agents with knowledge of the investigation and video of the incident, states that approximately six people were observed inside the Dodge, all but two of whom were wearing balaclava-style face masks.
Two people, later identified as Fagan and Edwards, exited the Dodge and approached the undercover car, while the ATF officers also got out, the complaint states. A third person got out of the Dodge and pointed a weapon toward the officers and informant. At the same time, the complaint says, another person — later identified at Toney — likewise exited the Dodge. Fagan and Edwards proceeded to draw and point their own firearms at the officers and the informant. An officer told them to put their firearms down and drew their own weapons, the complaint states.
Through the confrontation, an ATF task force team pulled up and fired shots toward Fagan and Edwards as the pair continued to have their firearms out and pointed at officers. Fagan was shot in the head and arm and transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, Toney tried to flee in the Dodge, according to the complaint. He drove toward ATF vehicles that had their lights and sirens on at a high speed, ultimately hitting an undercover ATF vehicle that had agents inside, the complaint states. Toney then fled on foot.
After shots were fired, officers on the scene saw Edwards also flee the scene and pursued him. During the pursuit, an officer told Edwards to stop, to which Edwards replied something to the effect of: “I’m not going back to jail,” per the complaint. A physical altercation ensued, with Edwards striking the officer several times and the officer firing his weapon in response. Edwards was also taken to an area hospital.
An ATF spokesperson previously stated that the offenders’ conditions had been stabilized. The spokesperson also said three others were taken into custody at the scene.
Later Tuesday, officers located Toney hiding in a garage in the area based on a tip from a local resident, the complaint states.
A spokesperson with Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability confirmed that the shooting involved a Chicago officer. In an update released Thursday, COPA stated an ATF agent and the Chicago officer had discharged their weapon during the incident. The Chicago officer was taken to an area hospital in good condition. Three weapons were recovered on scene, according to COPA.
COPA stated that it was working with state police to confirm whether third-party video captures the shooting. Materials related to the incident will be posted to COPA’s website within the next two months.
The Tribune’s Jason Meisner contributed.
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