Federal prosecutors have charged an Indiana man with buying the .22-caliber handgun that another person allegedly used to kill Chicago Police Officer Ella French and seriously wound her partner during a traffic stop over the weekend.
According to a federal complaint, ATF agents traced a handgun found at the murder scene to Jamel Danzy, 29, through purchase records. The car with three occupants that French and her partners stopped moments before the shooting is also registered to Danzy, the complaint said.
On Sunday, agents went to a Munster, Indiana, restaurant where Danzy works and asked him about the gun purchase, the complaint said. Speaking in an agent’s car, Danzy claimed he bought the gun on March 18 for himself, but he later said he bought it for a man who has a felony record and cannot legally buy a gun on their own, according to the federal court filing.
Danzy told investigators he has been in a relationship with the felon for about three years and knows him very well, according to the complaint. But, he claimed to not know why the man could not buy a gun on their own, although he said he thought the individual’s conviction involved firearms, the federal complaint said.
Federal agents determined that the felon was charged with armed robbery in Dane County, Wisconsin, on June 2, 2018 and was convicted of felony theft in June 2019, according to the complaint.
Danzy allegedly told federal agents the felon gave him money to buy the Honda CR-V shortly before he bought the gun for him. Danzy would sometimes loan the car to the felon, the complaint said.
The felon is one of the three people who were in Danzy’s Honda CR-V and are now in CPD custody, the complaint said. Federal authorities said the felon had the gun in his possession when Chicago police officers arrested him after French and her partner were shot.
During the interview, Danzy also admitted to buying another firearm for his cousin, who he also knew was a convicted felon, the complaint continued.
Federal agents arrested Danzy on Sunday for violating federal firearms laws. He is due in court Wednesday.
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