Man took security guard’s gun from River North mass shooting scene, prosecutors say

A Chicago man picked up a handgun from the scene of a quadruple shooting in River North, then pointed it from a vehicle as he left the scene, prosecutors said Monday.

It happened early Sunday morning outside a nightclub in the 300 block of West Chicago Avenue.

Police said a group began fighting after being ejected from a nightclub, and two people in the group started shooting. A security guard from the nightclub also returned fire, police said.

Arsen Solaqa, 30, was killed, and three others were injured, including the security guard, who police said was shot in the arm.

Jimmy Silva and the SUV. | Snapchat; CPD

According to prosecutors, a security guard dropped his gun during the incident, and Jimmy Silva, 19, exited a nearby vehicle and picked it up. Silva returned to the SUV, which was occupied by several other people, and then pointed the gun out the vehicle’s window as it left the crime scene.

Chicago police surveillance camera operators allegedly secured video of Silva picking up the gun and waving it out of the car. He is not accused of firing the weapon.

CPD officers found the SUV in the 800 block of North Orleans and saw Silva hiding behind a nearby vehicle, prosecutors said. Police detained Silva and found a handgun in the wheel well of the car where he was hiding. He was not carrying a gun when police arrested him.

Silva, the father of a six-month-old, works as a cafe chef. He has no criminal background. Prosecutors charged him with unlawful use of a weapon.

Judge Kelly McCarthy ordered him to pay a $2,000 bail deposit to get out of jail.

Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) identified the club in a statement as Hush, 311 West Chicago, and said he wants the city to revoke the bar’s license.

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