We’ve learned many new details about an armed robbery spree that, with the help of the Chicago Police Department helicopter, ended with four men in custody last week. Two of the accused men have already spent time in prison for previous robberies.
Altogether, prosecutors and police have linked the men—Datione Coleman, 19; Jeremiah Collins, 21; Kentrell Johnson, 21; and Malik Jones-El, 25—to seven armed robberies committed in just two hours on June 18. Prosecutors stated they operated as a coordinated group, with Jones-El serving as the getaway driver who would eventually try to escape from a police pursuit involving ground and air units.
The events began the night before the robberies, around 10:45 p.m. on June 17, in the 300 block of East 47th Street. Officials said a woman briefly left her keys in the ignition of her Mitsubishi SUV while picking up a food order from a restaurant there. As she walked back to her car, a man jumped into the driver’s seat and sped off. The stolen vehicle was used as the getaway car for the robbery crew the following night.
On June 18, starting at 9:15 p.m., the suspects allegedly struck multiple times, targeting victims across several neighborhoods, often pointing firearms at the victims’ heads while demanding valuables, according to prosecutors.
A proffer prepared by prosecutors laid out the specific allegations of each holdup:
June 18, 9:15 p.m., 1600 block of South Morgan
A man was robbed by three men, one armed with a black handgun, after parking his vehicle. They took his wallet, phone, and car keys, forcing him to lie on the ground with his hood over his head. According to the proffer, Collins stepped away from the robbery to target another man who was walking nearby, brandishing a firearm and stealing a bag containing an iPhone, laptop, keys, credit card, gym clothes, and other items.
June 18, 9:30 p.m., 3115 South Archer
A man stepped outside One City Tap to smoke and was confronted by three men, one with a shiny handgun. They “manhandled him” into the back parking lot, then held him at gunpoint and stole his cigarettes, wallet, keys, and phone. Police later recovered the victim’s property from Collins, the proffer said.
June 18, 10:13 p.m., 3300 block of South Lowe
A woman attempting to unlock her front door was approached from behind by a man who displayed a firearm and demanded her belongings. A second man pushed her head down, causing her to fall, and took her bag. A third man was present, and they all fled in an SUV driven by another person. Some of the woman’s property was found at the scene of the next robbery.
June 18, 10:16 p.m., 1100 block of West Pershing
A man walking to work was approached by a dark SUV that made a U-turn, and three men jumped out. One, wearing a ski mask, pointed a sparkly handgun at him, and the others pushed him against a car, searched his pockets and stole his belongings before fleeing.
June 18, 10:30 p.m., 4900 block of South St. Lawrence
A woman walking to a friend’s house suddenly felt a handgun poking her in the back. She turned around to see three men, one of whom aimed a pistol at her head while the others took her backpack and wallet. They left her phone and car keys on the ground and fled. Her wallet was later found in Coleman’s possession, according to prosecutors.
June 18, 11:00 p.m., 54th Place and Harper
A woman was walking home when a dark SUV pulled up, and three men approached her. One aimed a gun at her head while the others took her backpack. They escaped in the SUV, driven by a fourth person.
About 12 minutes after the final robbery, a CPD helicopter spotted the stolen Mitsubishi near Michigan Avenue and Garfield Boulevard, prosecutors said. Multiple CPD units initiated a pursuit, but the driver, allegedly Jones-El, ignored their blue lights and sirens.
After a 10-minute chase, four men bailed out of the SUV.
Jones-el exited the driver’s seat, fell, and dropped a 9mm handgun, according to prosecutors. They said the helicopter crew saw Coleman flee from the rear passenger seat and toss a “gun-shaped object.” The object turned out to be a handgun that had been spray-painted and made “sparkly,” the proffer said.
Collins outran the others, jumping a fence, crossing multiple train tracks, and hiding in trees near Lake Shore Drive, according to prosecutors. They said Johnson also fled and later denied any involvement.
All four men are charged with seven counts of armed robbery with a firearm. Coleman and Jones-el are also charged with aggravated possession of a weapon in a vehicle. Jones-el is additionally charged with possessing a stolen motor vehicle.
Judge John Hock detained all four men pending trial, citing the strength of video evidence and witness statements.
According to court records, Collins received a six-year sentence for aggravated robbery in December 2023. In that case, he struck a woman in the face multiple times with a firearm and stole her backpack in the 3200 block of North Sacramento Avenue. At the time, prosecutors noted he had multiple juvenile felony convictions, including a carjacking for which he was on parole.
Johnson received an eight-year sentence in 2022 for robbing a man in the 1600 block of East 50th Street.
