#2: Man fatally shot girlfriend while on electronic monitoring for November gun case, prosecutors say

January 20, 2021 4:22 PM CWBChicago Citywide
Antwon Derrington | CPD

Update June 15, 2022 — Prosecutors today filed first-degree murder charges against Antwon Derrington, saying new evidence supports the upgraded charge.

A Chicago man who turned 18 last spring fatally shot his girlfriend while on affordable bail and electronic monitoring for illegally possessing a firearm in November, prosecutors said Wednesday.

He is the second person to be accused of killing another person in Chicago while on bail for serious felonies in 2021.

Last February, Antwon Derrington received 18-months juvenile probation for two robberies he allegedly committed as a minor. Nine months later, on November 6, prosecutors charged him as an adult with unlawful use of a weapon after police allegedly found a loaded handgun in his car.

During his November bond court appearance, prosecutors said Derrington left his car in drive and ran when cops asked him to step out of the vehicle during a traffic stop. Cops found him hiding under a car and located the firearm between his driver’s seat and center console, according to prosecutors. He allegedly told the arresting officers that his fingerprints and DNA were probably on the weapon.

Judge John Lyke allowed Derrington to go home on electronic monitoring by posting $500.

Around 2:30 a.m Sunday, Derrington and his girlfriend were at home in the 1200 block of South Kedvale, “drinking, smoking weed, and recording videos on her phone” that showed both of them handling firearms, Assistant State’s Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said Wednesday.

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At one point, they each fired rounds from the back porch, activating one of CPD’s ShotSpotter gunfire detectors nearby, Scaduto said. Shortly after that, Derrington shot his girlfriend in her chest, killing her, according to Scaduto.

Prosecutors charged Derrington with reckless discharge of a firearm.

“Just so I’m clear here,” Judge David Navarro asked Scaduto, “The defendant is accused of discharging a firearm recklessly, and that discharge is alleged to have caused the death of the victim in this matter?”

“That is correct,” the veteran prosecutor said. “Other charges may be filed later.”

Scaduto said Derrington admitted to firing a round on the back porch and told police that he hid the gun in the back yard. One of his relatives later disposed of it, according to Scaduto.

Navarro ordered Derrington held without bail for violating the terms of bail in the November gun case. The judge set bail in the reckless discharge matter at $250,000.

So far, CWBChicago has identified 37 shootings and murders in Chicago last year that prosecutors say were committed by people on bond for major felonies.