CHICAGO — Prosecutors have charged a Chicago man with shooting another man during an argument while on bail for a pending Class X felony gun case.
Johnathan Ivy, 49, is the 26th 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 41 victims, 13 of whom died.
Ivy appeared in bond court on July 4, the day after Chicago police said they found him inside an SUV with a revolver stuffed between the driver’s seat and the center armrest. Because Ivy was convicted of aggravated criminal sexual assault causing great bodily harm in 2009 and robbery and aggravated battery in 1994, prosecutors charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Judge Charles Beach ordered him to pay a $1,000 bail deposit to go home. A grand jury later upgraded his charges to include Class X armed habitual criminal.
Last week, while still on bail, Ivy shot a 28-year-old man during an argument in the 6300 block of South Vernon, according to prosecutors.
Officials said he displayed a revolver and threatened to shoot the victim, who ran away. Ivy fired shots as the victim fled, striking him in the upper thigh, prosecutors said in a detention petition.
Chicago cops responding to the call around 6 p.m. on November 17 saw Ivy in the area and thought he matched the description of the shooter, according to the arrest report they filed. Ivy “aggressively” pushed and pulled on the door of a home, trying to get inside, as the officers approached, the report said.
At one point, he pulled something from his jacket and tossed it down the side of the building, the police said.
They detained him before he entered the home. The object on the side of the house turned out to be a revolver with two spent shell casings in the cylinder, according to the arrest petition.
He is charged with aggravated battery by discharging a firearm and a fresh count of Class X armed habitual criminal.
Judge Barbara Dawkins detained him to await trial.
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)
