Gunman gets 43 years for shooting that killed 2, injured 7 outside Chicago Red Line station

By TopTrendReportTv

December 24, 2024

CHICAGO — A Cook County judge has sentenced a man to 43 years in prison for a mass shooting near the Magnificent Mile in May 2022 that left two people dead and seven others injured. The sentencing of 24-year-old Jaylun Sanders follows his guilty plea to one count of murder on November 18. Judge Adrienne Davis announced the sentence today, requiring Sanders to serve the full term without the possibility of parole.

At the time of the shooting, Sanders was out on bond for a felony gun charge. The events unfolded on the night of May 19, 2022, near the Chicago Red Line station at 801 North State Street. Around 9:15 p.m., Sanders was involved in an altercation between two groups. Police initially intervened, breaking up the conflict after someone in the crowd fired a shot. Despite pursuing a man seen fleeing with a gun, officers were unable to apprehend him at the time.

Roughly 20 minutes later, surveillance footage captured Sanders taking a firearm from 23-year-old Kameron Abram, concealing his face with his hoodie, and staying near the scene. At approximately 10:41 p.m., Sanders was seen walking west from a McDonald’s at 10 East Chicago Avenue, followed closely by members of the rival group. According to prosecutors, none of the individuals in the second group displayed weapons or made any threatening gestures.

Sanders, standing near the northeast entrance to the CTA station, pulled out a pistol modified to fire automatically and opened fire in short bursts, prosecutors said. Using his free hand to stabilize the weapon’s recoil, Sanders fired indiscriminately, leaving 21 shell casings at the scene. Two men, Anthony Allen, 31, and Antonio Wade, 30, were killed. Seven others sustained injuries.

Following the shooting, Sanders handed the gun back to Abram, and the two fled into the station. They attempted to evade detection by swapping hoodies, but Sanders ultimately returned to his original hoodie, as Abram’s did not fit. During their escape along the Red Line tracks, Sanders’ girlfriend fell onto the electrified third rail, suffering severe burns before being rescued. She survived the incident.

Police, aided by surveillance operators, apprehended Sanders in the train tunnel and detained Abram on the platform. A canine unit later recovered the firearm used in the shooting.

Initially, Sanders admitted to firing the gun but claimed the rival group shot first. However, video evidence showed the victims were unarmed, and Sanders later stated he believed they were “reaching” for weapons. He also revealed that the gun had been acquired in Indiana, with the aftermarket switch enabling automatic fire sold on the street for $20 to $25.

Abram pleaded guilty last year to possessing a machine gun and was sentenced to seven years. After receiving standard sentence reductions, he was released on parole in July.