Three men face felony charges after police found three guns in a car and one man threatened to “beat the whiteness off” a cop at the scene, prosecutors said. It happened during an impromptu street party Thursday evening in Old Town.
Around 10 p.m., officers watching Chicago police surveillance cameras on the 1300 block of North Hudson noticed a large gathering with people drinking and cars double parked in the street, Assistant State’s Attorney Molly Bruno said.
At one point, they allegedly saw Andre Pughsley, 28, making shooting gestures and grabbing his waistband. The camera operators, suspecting he had a gun, sent patrol units to the scene.
Arriving officers saw Pughsley in a white car and tried to pull it over, Bruno said. Pughsley allegedly reversed his car, parked in front of the gathering, and tossed his car keys into the crowd.
Officers tried to detain him, but a crowd of 30 or 40 people reportedly surrounded the cops. A man in the crowd, Darian Davis, punched one officer in the face but got away before police could arrest him, Bruno alleged.
A second officer who was trying to control the growing crowd asked Terrell Esco, 26, to step out of the street and onto the sidewalk, she continued.
Instead, Esco allegedly approached the officer, clenched his fists, and said, “I’ll beat the whiteness off you, you b*tch ass.” The cop arrested him.
Back-up units arrived and took Pughsley into custody. Bruno said they found three guns in an open lockbox on the back seat of his car. She said one of the guns was loaded, equipped with an extended magazine, and had a defaced serial number. A second loaded gun was in the box along with an unloaded pistol, according to Bruno.
After police left the scene, Davis — the man who allegedly escaped after punching a cop in the face — walked into the 18th District Police Station and started asking about Pughsley, Bruno said. Officers arrested Davis at the station’s front desk.
Prosecutors charged Pughsley with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possessing a defaced firearm, and resisting police. He has previous felony convictions for robbery, home invasion, identity theft, and narcotics, and he is currently on parole for burglary and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, Bruno said.
His private defense attorney said he is expecting a baby, works at his family’s boxing gym, and volunteers at charitable events hosted by mayoral candidate Willie Wilson.
Judge Kelly McCarthy set his bail at $50,000, meaning he must post $5,000 to get out of jail on the charges. He will also be held without bail until the Illinois Department of Corrections reviews his parole status.
Prosecutors charged Esco with aggravated assault for his alleged threat to beat an officer’s “whiteness” off. He has four felony convictions, including two for guns, Bruno said. His defense attorney said he has two children and works in a warehouse.
McCarthy said he could go home by posting $3,500 toward his $35,000 bail.
Davis, 31, is charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer. He has two felony convictions. His lawyer said he is studying to become an electrician, works as a sous chef, and works with the “No Kids Die in Chicago” mentorship and community outreach program.
His bail was set at $30,000. He needs to post 10% of that to go home.
