Chicago — A double shooting that left a woman dead near Marina City last year followed a coincidental encounter between the accused man and a group of his ex-girlfriend’s friends at a River North bowling alley, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Jason McMahan and his new girlfriend went to 10pin Bowling Lounge, 330 North State, on April 30 and crossed paths with two women who are friends with his ex, prosecutor Anne McCord said.
One of his ex’s friends called her upon seeing that he had a new girlfriend, and the friend then began arguing with McMahan and his new girlfriend, McCord said. McMahan, 36, and his girlfriend left and walked to the girlfriend’s car, but two of his ex’s friends followed them, and video showed the women arguing.
The girlfriend drove back to the bowling alley with McMahan in the passenger seat. There, the two women, now joined by his ex, knocked on her passenger-side window.
As surveillance cameras rolled, McMahan allegedly got out of the car and punched one of the women in the head, knocking her to the ground. According to McCord, he then fired a gun at his ex and two of her friends, killing one of the friends and injuring the other. His ex-girlfriend was not injured. He then returned to his girlfriend’s car and left the scene.
The girlfriend, who had already called 911 twice for help, drove a short distance, parked, and called 911 a third time. McMahan and an unidentified man who were in the car left before police arrived, McCord said.
McCord said that McMahan’s girlfriend, who had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, had two guns in her car, and ballistics tests showed that one of them was used in the shooting.
McMahan is on probation for a 2018 felony theft case. His past convictions include aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in 2014 and narcotics-related charges in 2005 and 2010. McCord said he also had a 2021 gun case in Georgia, but she did not know the status of the case.
His lawyer strongly argued that McMahan acted in self-defense and said he was also defending his new girlfriend, who had called 911 repeatedly for help.
He is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, and aggravated battery by discharging a firearm.
Judge Ankur Srivastava held McMahan without bail.
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