Man Suspected Of Shooting Alleged Walgreen's Shoplifter Charged With Murder, Impersonating An Officer
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man charged in connection with the fatal shooting of an alleged shoplifter at a Walgreen's has been arrested before for impersonating a police officer and shoplifting.
Louis Hicks Jr., 33, was charged Thursday evening with one felony count of first degree murder, one felony count of false personation of an officer and one felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
According to police, Hicks was arrested on July 20, 2018 for assault and impersonating an officer at a White Castle on the South Side.
Police said Hicks got into a confrontation with a woman and told her, "I'm a police officer meet me outside see what's gonna happen."
He also said, "I will f****** kill you bitch." Two witnesses corroborated account. The victim said she knew the man as a security guard at Catholic Charities on 79th Street.
The address he listed on his bond conditions form is Monterrey Security, 2232 S. Blue Island Ave in Chicago. The security company says he hasn't worked there for a year.
That case was eventually dropped but could be reinstated if he's charged in the Walgreen's shooting.
Ironically, Hicks was himself charged with shoplifting in 2002.
He has other charges as well, including residential burglary, battery, using replica firearms, cannabis and criminal damage of property.
Sources say Hicks shot and killed a suspected shoplifter inside a Walgreens in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood last week.
Sources tell CBS 2 the store clerk spotted Sircie Varnado shoplifting, and instead of calling 911 called a friend. That friend, Hicks, allegedly showed up with a gun, falsely identified himself as an officer, then words turned into fists.
He ultimately pulled the trigger, killing Varnado, a 56-year-old mother of five.
"She didn't deserve to be executed like that. He could have just held her for the police. He didn't have to shoot her in her face. She didn't have no weapon," said Varnado's sister April Reed.
Hicks is expected in court Friday.
