A 17-year-old Chicago boy is accused of executing a man and shooting a 15-year-old boy in the face, but prosecutors say the younger victim survived by playing dead, then helped police track down the killer. And officials say it all started with a dispute over two firearms.
Dariyun O’Neal is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated battery by discharging a firearm in the July 24 attack that left 18-year-old Derrick Johnson dead and his friend injured.
In a detention petition, Assistant State’s Attorney Todd Kleist said the victims and their friend were hanging out at O’Neal’s home late that night. When O’Neal and others left, the victims stayed behind and left the house with two guns — a .22-caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol.
O’Neal eventually returned and noticed the firearms were missing, Kleist said. O’Neal and his companions contacted the victims and asked them to return the guns. The victims agreed, and all six people then went for a walk together, according to Kleist.
As they reached Springfield and 73rd Street, O’Neal allegedly pulled the .22 and shot Johnson in the back of the head, killing him. O’Neal then shot the 15-year-old in the face, Kleist said.
The boy fell to the ground and pretended to be dead. Once O’Neal and the others left, the boy got up, knocked on the door of a nearby home, and asked someone to call 911. He then returned to the shooting scene and was later treated for a graze wound to his cheek.
Police said descriptions from the surviving victim and his friend led officers to stop an Uber carrying O’Neal and two others. Officers recovered a .22-caliber handgun under the driver’s seat and a 9mm under the passenger seat, Kleist said. Preliminary test results indicated that the .22 was the murder weapon.
Prosecutors said O’Neal was sentenced to 18 months of juvenile probation for aggravated battery in October 2023, but that probation was “terminated unsatisfactorily” in April of this year.
Judge James Costello ordered O’Neal detained.
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