Teen On Electronic Monitoring Carjacked Lyft SUV At Gunpoint, Drove Miles To Shoot, Kill 15-Year-Old Michael Brown, Prosecutors Say
By Sabrina Franza
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 16-year-boy was on electronic monitoring when he carjacked a rideshare driver at gunpoint, and then drove the car several miles before he pulled up to 15-year-old Michael Brown and shot and killed him in the Douglas community this week, prosecutors said.
Anthony Brown also carjacked a rideshare driver right before he shot and killed Brown, prosecutors alleged.
Anthony Brown has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder in Michael Brown's death, and also with aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm. Police do not think the suspect and the victim are related.
The Cook County State's Attorney's office said at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, a man was driving for Lyft in the 4000 block of West Gladys Avenue in West Garfield Park. The Lyft driver picked up Anthony Brown, who was on electronic monitoring for two different pending juvenile charges, prosecutors said.
A few blocks away at 205 S. Kildare Ave., Anthony Brown pulled a gun and held it to the Lyft driver's head. He ordered the Lyft driver to get out of the car and to leave his two cellphones and wallet behind, prosecutors said.
Anthony Brown drove off in the Lyft car, and his every move was detected by his electronic monitoring device, prosecutors said.
GPS data from the device showed Anthony Brown arrived at 3352 S. Prairie Ave. in the carjacked Lyft car at 3:13 p.m. Two minutes later, Michael Brown was walking home from school northward on the same block, and Anthony Brown – who had been driving south – turned around to catch up to him, prosecutors said.
Anthony Brown got out of the car on the front passenger side. Walked up to Michael, took out a handgun, pointed it right at Michael's head, and shot him, prosecutors said. Michael immediately fell to the ground, but Anthony still shot him nine more times, prosecutors said.
Michael was shot twice in head, once in the shoulder, and once in the chest, prosecutors said. The Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville student was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital.
The shooting was captured on video from a surveillance camera across the street.
By 3:43 p.m., police were already looking for the stolen sport-utility vehicle that Anthony Brown is accused of carjacking. Officers found the SUV on 63rd Street just west of State Street and pulled it over, prosecutors said.
Anthony Brown was in the passenger seat at that point, while another boy, 15, was driving, prosecutors said. A weapon was also on the passenger side, and his sweatshirt matched up to the sweatshirt that was seen in the earlier surveillance video, prosecutors said.
Suspect Brown also had gunshot residue on his hands, and the gun that was recovered matched up to shell casings at the scene where Michael was shot and killed, prosecutors said.
Officers were able to identify 26 different POD cameras using information from Brown's electronic monitoring bracelet, placing Brown at each scene, prosecutors said.
The other boy with Brown has also been arrested and charged as a juvenile with possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
Anthony Brown was charged on June 10 of last year with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He was arrested at 2710 S. State St., and police recovered a .22-caliber Glock handgun.
He was placed on electronic monitoring on June 15, and the electronic monitor was taken off in favor of a curfew on June 21.
On Dec. 8, Anthony Brown was arrested in an armed carjacking at 214 W. 22nd Pl. in Chinatown. Officers chased him and recovered a loaded Glock handgun, and Brown was charged again as a juvenile with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
On Jan. 6, he was placed on electronic monitoring again, and he was still on it as of Tuesday when prosecutors said he carjacked the Lyft driver and shot and killed Michael Brown.
Police Supt. David Brown, who once called for changes in the electronic monitoring program, was asked again Thursday about the program - given it likely failed in this case.
Brown said he wants changes - and Mayor Lori Lightfoot has even asked for a moratorium on the program – but he declined to address the issue further than that on Thursday. No such changes or moratorium have happened.
Anthony Brown is due back in court March 2.