Alleged mass shooter had a felony gun case pending when he killed 2, wounded 7 near Magnificent Mile, records show

Jaylun Sanders, 21, is the 20th person charged with killing or shooting — or trying to shoot or kill — someone in Chicago this year while awaiting trial for a felony. The alleged crimes involve at least 49 victims, 11 of whom died.

 

 

Prosecutors’ allegations about what transpired near the corner of Chicago Avenue and State Street around 10:41 p.m. Thursday were revealed during a bail hearing on Sunday that you can read about here.

But court records show Sanders has a pending felony unlawful use of a weapon case that began when police arrested him during a traffic stop on the 1000 block of West 95th Street on November 15, 2020.

Police said they found a loaded 9-millimeter in Sanders’ hoodie pocket during the stop. He told officers he found the gun three days earlier and it was the first day he had carried it in public, prosecutors said at the time.

Judge John Lyke allowed Sanders to go home upon posting a $200 deposit toward his $2,000 bail, records show.

Sanders stopped showing up for his court dates last October and Judge Adrienne Davis issued a warrant for his arrest on November 29. That warrant was still active at the time of the mass shooting, according to court records.

Prosecutors said during Sanders’ November 2020 bail hearing that he had no “publishable” history. CPD and court records show he was charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault of a teacher or school employee on May 22, 2019. Four days earlier, he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession of 30 to 100 grams of cannabis.

He is now charged with two counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in connection with the mass shooting.

The “not horrible” series

This report continues our coverage of individuals who have been accused of murder, attempted murder, or shooting firearms toward people while on bond for a pending felony case. 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 on felony bail is undoubtedly much higher than the numbers seen here. Since 2017, CPD has made arrests in less than 5% of non-fatal shootings and 33% of murders, according to the city’s data. You can support CWBChicago’s work by becoming a subscriber today.