#49: Gunman shot a passing car while firing across Chicago Avenue

A man is accused of firing a gun across Chicago Avenue, striking a passing car and injuring its driver, while on bond for felony charges of aggravated battery to police.

Mennard Allison is now the 49th person accused of killing, trying to kill, or shooting someone in Chicago this year while awaiting trial for a felony.

Allison was driving on the 700 block of North Ridgeway in Humboldt park when he heard gunfire around 640 p.m. Thursday, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Sergio Gomez and a CPD report.

Gomez said he threw his car into reverse and slammed into two vehicles as he crossed into Chicago Avenue while driving backward.

Allison, 30, stopped the car, exited through the passenger door, pulled out a handgun with an extended ammunition magazine attached, and began firing across Chicago Avenue toward Ridgeway, according to Gomez.

One bullet shattered the window of a passing car, and its driver was cut by flying glass, Gomez continued.

A CPD surveillance camera recorded the incident, and officers allegedly recognized Allison from the footage. Police located him and took him into custody to face charges of reckless discharge of a firearm, criminal trespass to a vehicle, and possession of ammunition without a Firearm Owner’s ID card.

He has previous convictions for possessing a stolen motor vehicle in 2015, two felony gun convictions from 2012, and a juvenile adjudication for criminal sexual abuse, Gomez said.

Judge Charles Beach set bail at $200,000, meaning Allison must post $20,000 to get out of jail. He is required to go onto electronic monitoring if he does post bond, Beach said.

Beach also ordered Allison held without bail until he appears before the judge handling his pending aggravated battery case next week. According to court records, Allison faces five felony counts of aggravated battery of a peace officer in that matter.

Editor’s note: This report continues our coverage of individuals who have been charged with murder, attempted murder, or trying to kill a person while on bond for a pending felony case. CWBChicago began our series of reports in November 2019 after Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans publicly stated, “we haven’t had any horrible incidents occur” under the court’s bond reform initiative.

The actual number of murders and shootings committed by people on felony bail is undoubtedly much higher than the numbers seen here. Since 2017, CPD has made arrests in just 4% of shootings and 31% of murders, according to the city’s data. You can support CWBChicago’s work by becoming a subscriber today.

#49: Gunman shot a passing car while firing across Chicago Avenue — and while on felony bond

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