CHICAGO — Prosecutors have charged a Chicago man with shooting into a crowd of people, killing one and injuring another, while he was on bail for a pending Class X armed habitual criminal gun case.
Now charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder, Lamont Johnson, 39, was ordered into custody to await trial by Judge Susana Ortiz during a detention hearing Saturday afternoon.
Johnson is the 24th person accused of shooting, killing, or trying to shoot or kill someone in Chicago this year while awaiting trial for a felony. The cases involve at least 39 victims, 12 of whom died.
The shooting occurred late on September 29 in the 3300 block of West 19th Street.
Prosecutors said a group of people was hanging out, talking on the sidewalk, when Johnson approached and started shooting toward them around 11:40 p.m. Several rounds struck 45-year-old Dushan Williams, who died. A 27-year-old woman survived a gunshot wound to the thigh.
In her decision to detain Johnson, Judge Ortiz noted that four people who knew him identified him as the shooter.
Chicago police officers arrested Johnson last Thursday after a CPD surveillance camera operator, aware that he was wanted for the shooting, spotted him on a street corner and notified patrol offices.
He posted a $1,000 bail deposit to get out of jail on September 16, 2022, three days after prosecutors charged him with being an armed habitual criminal.
The case involves allegations that Chicago police officers saw him standing outside, holding a gun in his right hand. After spotting the police, Johnson walked into a gangway and then came back out empty-handed, prosecutors said during his bail hearing last year. Cops detained him and entered the gangway, where allegedly they found a loaded .38-caliber revolver in a bucket of water.
Prosecutors said the armed habitual criminal charge is based on Johnson’s background, which includes seven felony convictions, five for narcotics, and two DUIs in 2017.
The “not horrible” series
This report continues our coverage of individuals accused of killing, shooting, or trying to kill or shoot others awaiting trial for a felony allegation. 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 awaiting trial for felony allegations 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.
Previous reporting
#6: Man killed 1, tried to kill another while on felony bail, prosecutors say (April 29, 2023)
#15: Hitman killed target while on bail for trying to disarm a cop, prosecutors say (July 22, 2023)
#19: 3 charged in armed robbery turned shooting in Homan Square (September 2, 2023)
