Marion Lewis Chicago man arrested in McDonald’s drive thru shooting that left 7-year-old girl, Jaslyn Adams dead. Suspect one of several suspects in gang related ambush.
An 18-year-old Chicago area man has been charged with first-degree murder after being identified as one of several suspects responsible for the murder of 7-year-old girl, Jaslyn Adams outside a McDonald’s drive-thru on April 18, according to reports.
Marion Lewis, 18, faces a first-degree murder charge along with 17 other felony charges, including one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking, three counts of attempted first-degree murder and six counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm.
Lewis was arrested on Thursday afternoon on the Eisenhower Expressway following a pursuit after being identified as one of perpetrators responsible for Jaslyn’s murder.
Officers attempted to stop Lewis, who was inside of a vehicle before the vehicle crashed and Lewis fled from the scene.
Lewis attempted to carjack a vehicle with a family inside nearby before a Chicago police officer intervened and fired a shot, striking Lewis.
Other suspects sought in gang related take-down
Lewis was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and was taken into custody following treatment WGNTV reported.
The Chicago Police Department said two guns were recovered from Lewis following his arrests, including an AK-47 rifle, matched shell casings found at the scene of the McDonald’s shooting.
Jaslyn Adams was shot to death while sitting in her father’s car outside of a McDonald’s on April 18. Her father, Jontae Adams, suspected drug dealer, was shot in the abdomen and survived.
A McDonald’s employee told police that two armed men jumping out of a car and firing repeatedly into the automobile containing the father and daughter. Police said more than 50 shots were fired in the apparent ambush.
Police said they believe the shooting to be gang-related, and the investigation continues. Chicago police Supt. David Brown in a press conference Saturday said that there are more offenders responsible for Jaslyn’s murder.
Of note, Supt. Brown stopped short of saying it was Lewis that pulled the trigger.
‘At this point, he was involved in the murder of Jaslyn Adams. That’s our specific statement and that’s the way you should word it,’ Brown said.
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Escalation of gun violence
Police declined to say how many other suspects they were searching for in the investigation.
Lewis had been expected to appear in court on Sunday for a bond hearing.
Lawanda McMullen, the victim’s grandmother had a message for the other suspects wanted in Jaslyn’s death.
‘Just turn yourself in,’ McMullen said of the suspects, in an interview with WLS-TV in Chicago. ‘You know a 7-year-old girl she had nothing to do with that at all. You know if you have any heart, you know if you have a child — just think about your family.’
The drive thru shooting comes amid un-abating gun violence in Chicago. The Chicago Sun Times told of 16 shot, 2 fatally in Chicago so far this weekend. Last weekend, 27 people were wounded, five fatally, in citywide shootings.
Reports AP: ‘2020 ended with 769 homicides — 274 more than the previous year and the most since the 784 homicides in 2016. The latest shooting victim figures told the same story, with the year ending with 4,033 shooting victims compared with 2,598 the year before.’
The rise in gun violence seemingly parallels the rise of vast wealth disparities in the US, pandemic stress, economic stress and the continual marginalization of the African American community.
