Chicago — An Amazon delivery driver shot a man who questioned why the driver was sitting in a van near his home on the Far South Side of Chicago, officials said. The accused courier posted a $3,000 bail deposit to get out of jail.
The 32-year-old alleged victim parked near his home in the 13200 block of South Carondolet after going to a dispensary around 3:40 p.m. Moments later, a white work van parked behind him, and the victim decided to wait for it to leave before getting out of his vehicle, prosecutors said.
After waiting for a while, the victim and Amazon driver, identified by prosecutors as Mikao Phillips, got out of their vehicles, and the alleged victim asked Phillips what he was doing.
Phillips, wearing an Amazon work vest, explained that he was delivering packages. But, the other man said it didn’t look like Phillips was delivering packages because he was just sitting in the van, officials said.
That enraged Phillips, who challenged the man to fight, returned to his van for a moment, and then pulled out a gun, prosecutors said.
Phillips allegedly swung the gun, striking the man in the chin. But the weapon fired as it hit the man’s face, sending a bullet through his chin, into his chest, and out through his arm, prosecutors said.
When the victim regained consciousness, he saw Phillips standing over him and told Phillips, “You got me.”
Phillips allegedly countered that he had only grazed the man, then returned to his van and drove away.
The gunman’s van allegedly had the number 35 on it, so Chicago police called Amazon to find out where the vehicle was. Officers tracked the van down and arrested Phillips, who was inside the vehicle. Police did not recover a firearm, however.
Prosecutors said a doorbell camera captured the sound of a gunshot, but the Amazon van blocked the camera’s view of what happened.
Phillips is charged with reckless discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Judge Kelly McCarthy set his bail at $30,000. Phillips posted 10% of the bail amount to get out of custody.
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