A Cook County judge denied prosecutors’ request to detain a South Loop grocery store security guard who allegedly shot a 17-year-old girl Tuesday night, releasing her instead on electronic monitoring.
Raven Aikins, 29, was working at the Jewel-Osco, 1224 South Wabash Avenue, when she spotted the teen and three other girls in the store around 10:15 p.m., according to court records. Aikins recognized them as people who had shoplifted from the store before and told them to leave. Prosecutors said the situation escalated quickly and Aikins ultimately pulled out a gun and fired, hitting the 17-year-old in the right knee.
The girl, who has been an endangered runaway since leaving a shelter in Minneapolis earlier this year, initially refused to identify herself to the police, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Officials said Aikins left the scene in her car after the shooting, but Chicago police found her within an hour, driving in the 8100 block of South Saginaw Avenue, and took her into custody.
Aikins is charged with aggravated battery by discharging a firearm. Judge Shauna Boliker rejected the state’s detention petition on Friday and ordered Aikins to surrender any firearms to the police while she awaits trial at home on electronic monitoring.
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