Just 19 days after Kamari Pleasant received probation for a felony gun case in November 2020, he was accused of firing a machine gun at Chicago police officers who chased him on the city’s South Side.
Pleasant, 24, has now cut a deal with prosecutors. They dropped 27 counts of attempted murder and ten other felonies. He pleaded guilty to aggravated discharge of a firearm toward a police officer. And Judge Carol Howard sentenced him to 12 years.
Police arrested Pleasant in March 2020 after allegedly finding a handgun in his car during a traffic stop. He pleaded guilty on November 2, 2020, and received probation from Howard.
Less than three weeks later, on November 21, he kicked it up a notch.
Prosecutors said Chicago police went to Fernwood Park that night after a witness reported that three men were going into the park with guns to shoot gang rivals.
Officers turned on their blue lights when they saw Pleasant, a 17-year-old, and another man walking out of the park. The trio ran away, and all three fired shots at the officers as the cops chased them, prosecutors alleged.
The police found Pleasant hiding under a pile of leaves near a pistol that had been converted to generate fully-automatic gunfire. It was equipped with a 22-round magazine. Tests revealed gunshot residue on Pleasant’s hands, and prosecutors said that 19 shell casings found in the park are “a ballistics match” to the gun.
Investigators found 25 shell casings at the scene, but police did not fire a single round.
“These are the real heroes,” Judge John Lyke said during Pleasant’s initial bail hearing. “This is truly putting your lives on the line.”
“I’m blown away” that officers did not fire back, Lyke said. “[That] shows the utmost professionalism and training.”
The juvenile was also arrested that night. His gun was jammed, and he may not have successfully fired any rounds, prosecutors said. Six shots were apparently fired by the third gunman, who was never caught.
Pleasant is scheduled to be paroled on January 23, 2031.
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