#32: Killer shot motorcyclist 16 times while awaiting trial for a felony gun case, prosecutors say

Prosecutors said Thursday that an 18-year-old Chicago man who has two pending juvenile cases shot a motorcyclist at least 16 times on Memorial Day, causing the victim to crash into a porch and die.

Damarion Garron is the 32nd person accused of killing or shooting—or attempting to kill or shoot—someone in Chicago while awaiting trial for a felony this year. The alleged crimes involved at least 66 victims, 14 of whom died.

Damarion Garron | CPD

Surveillance video showed a gray BMW trailing the 26-year-old victim as he drove a 3-wheeled Slingshot motorcycle near the 8600 block of South Aberdeen around 5 p.m. on May 30.

A gunman eventually emerged from the BMW with a t-shirt wrapped around his face and began shooting at the victim, Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Deboni said. One video showed the killer “continues firing shot after shot” while resting his free hand on the lid of a trash can to steady himself, Deboni continued. The killer then escaped in the BMW.

Investigators matched a fingerprint from the trash can lid to Garron and brought him in for questioning on July 5, Deboni said. Before asking for a lawyer, Garron allegedly claimed that he was in Indiana at the time of the murder and said he didn’t go to the area where the shooting occurred.

He was set free while police secured a search warrant for his phone records, which revealed that the device arrived in the area of the murder about 24 minutes before the shooting and left eight minutes after, Deboni said. The phone, Deboni said, was then tracked back to Indiana.

Garron is a high school senior, private defense lawyer Michael Clancy said.

In addition to having juvenile cases pending for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and criminal trespass to a vehicle, Garron was adjudicated delinquent three times as a juvenile, according to Deboni: for possessing a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated reckless driving in 2019; for possession of cannabis and retail theft in 2020; and for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon last year. At the time of the alleged murder, Garron was on “intensive probation” for the 2021 gun case.

About a month after police questioned Garron about the murder in July, he was arrested again for possessing a Jeep that was stolen in Lincoln Square, according to court records.

During a bail hearing for that case on August 9, prosecutors failed to tell Judge Susana Ortiz about Garron’s pending juvenile cases and failed to mention his 2021 gun case and the 2019 stolen motor vehicle and fleeing case, according to court records. She released him on his own recognizance.

On Thursday, Judge Kelly McCarthy ordered Garron held without bail on a charge of first-degree murder.

The “not horrible” series

This report continues our coverage of individuals accused of killing, shooting, or trying to kill or shoot others 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 brought charges in less than 5% of non-fatal shootings and 33% of murders, according to the city’s data. 

You can support CWBChicago’s work by becoming a subscriber today.

#1: Man who tried to shoot 3 outside a North Side restaurant on New Year’s Day had a pending felony case, prosecutors say (January 6, 2022)

#2: Felon awaiting trial for 4 sexual assault cases escaped from electronic monitoring and tried to kill investigators who tracked him down, prosecutors say (January 15, 2022)

#3: With felony gun case pending, man shot passerby during “exchange of gunfire,” prosecutors say (January 23, 2022)

#4: Seven-time felon on electronic monitoring for his 4th gun case tried to shoot and kill his girlfriend’s father, prosecutors say (January 26, 2022)

#5: Teen on electronic monitoring for TWO gun cases carjacked a Lyft driver, then shot a 15-year-old at point-blank range, prosecutors say (February 10, 2022)

#6: Man killed nursing student months after going AWOL from felony DUI case, prosecutors say (February 20, 2022)

#7: Man shot and killed his own brother while on bail for a felony gun case, prosecutors say (February 22, 2022)

#8: Beloved Hyde Park bartender was killed by a robber who has 3 pending felony cases, prosecutors said (March 7, 2022)

#9: Man involved in New Year’s shoot-out that left one dead was on bail for his 3rd gun felony, prosecutors say (March 8, 2022)

#10: An 11-time convicted felon shot a 3-year-old and tried to kill the boy’s mother while on felony bail, prosecutors say (March 11, 2022)

#11: Man allegedly stabbed another to death 4 days after getting released on felony bail (March 29, 2022)

#12: He opened fire on his ex’s house, killing a man, prosecutors say. But he was supposed to be home 24/7 for a pending felony gun case. (March 29, 2022)

#13: Man shot a woman, fired toward 4 others, while on bond for being a felon in possession of a firearm, prosecutors say (April 7, 2022)

#14: Man killed his parents in an Uptown senior center while on bond for federal armed robbery and gun charges, prosecutors say (April 14. 2022)

#15: Four-time felon opened fire on a carload of victims, injuring 2 while on bond for felony gun case, prosecutors say (April 20, 2022)

#16: Man shot his ex this month and her boyfriend last month, prosecutors say. He was on felony bail. (April 24, 2022)

#17: Man tried to kill 2 cable TV installers over a missing dog, prosecutors say. He was on bail at the time. (April 30, 2022)

#18: Man escaped from electronic monitoring and ran over a cop in a stolen car while fleeing a murder scene, prosecutors say (May 19, 2022)

#19: A two-time felon circled a West Side neighborhood for 15 minutes looking for someone to kill in a revenge murder, prosecutors say. He was on bond for a gun case at the time. (May 21, 2022)

#20: Alleged mass shooter had a felony gun case pending when he killed 2, wounded 7 near Magnificent Mile, records show (May 22, 2022)

#21: Five months after escaping from electronic monitoring, he helped shoot up a carload of people, injuring 2, prosecutors say (May 29, 2022)

#22: Man accused of setting ‘Walking Man’ on fire has been AWOL from 2 felony cases for 15 months, court records show (May 30, 2022)

#23: Two weeks after being charged with having a stolen rifle in a hijacked car, he allegedly shot a man with a rifle after getting out of a hijacked car (June 11, 2022)

#24: Gunman left a woman paralyzed in River North just 4 weeks after officials sent his felony gun case to a “peace circle,” prosecutors say (June 13, 2022)

#25: Teen acted as murderer’s driver while awaiting trial for carjacking, stolen car cases: prosecutors say (July 6, 2022)

#26: Man shot victim 5 times, days after being charged in a felony narcotics case, prosecutors say (July 7, 2022)

#27: Concealed carry holder shot man who opened fire on his car at McDonald’s, prosecutors say (July 14, 2022)

#28: Terrorism, attempted murder charges filed against man who allegedly detonated bomb on Pink Line in May (August 8, 2022)

#29: Three-time felon shot robbery victim while on bail for felony gun case, prosecutors say (August 23, 2022)

#30: Concealed carry holder shoots 7-time felon who tried to kill him, prosecutors say. That man was on bail for a felony gun case. (August 25, 2022)

#31: Anti-violence worker, who’s also a 9-time felon, shot himself in the butt at a Bucktown gas station while on felony bail, prosecutors say (August 25, 2022)

Related 2021 Stories

Related 2020 Stories

Related 2019 Stories

About CWBChicago 6032 Articles
CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com