Eugene “Gen Gen” McLaurin, 28, faces federal charges in connection with the shooting that wounded a Chicago police officer and two ATF agents about 5:48 a.m. Wednesday, July 7, 2021 just north of 119th Street at the inbound onramp from Ashland Avenue near Chicago’s Morgan Park and West Pullman neighborhood.
A seven-page criminal complaint filed Thursday, July 8, 2021 against Eugene McLaurin revealed that the Chicago police officer and ATF agents were working on an undercover investigation near the 400 block of West 118th Street around 5:45 a.m. The Chicago police officer is assigned as an ATF task force officer.
The criminal complaint describes that the driver of a white Chevrolet Malibu began to follow an unmarked Chrysler 300 in which the officer and two agents were traveling.
The driver of the Malibu followed the Chrysler 300 westbound on 119th Street, according to the complaint. The driver of the Malibu pulled ahead of the Chrysler, parked, and then followed the Chrysler again after it passed the suspect.
The law enforcement officers in the Chrysler 300 traveled north on Ashland Avenue to enter the inbound lanes of I-57, and the officers inside the Chrysler took down the Malibu’s license plate number. When the Chrysler reached the I-57 on-ramp, the officers inside saw the Malibu on Ashland Avenue.
They observed driver’s side window of the Malibu rolled down, and a Black male with a “twist hair style” pointed a black handgun at the officers and opened fire, according to the complaint.
Police tracked the white Malibu to a house in the block of 200 East 89th Street, according to the complaint. Police officers found two 9mm shell casings manufactured by Hornady on the driver’s side of car. Three Hornady casings were also found at the scene of the shooting, according to the complaint.
A Chicago police officer noticed someone with a hairstyle matching the broadcast description of the shooter’s in the backyard of a house next door to where the Malibu was parked. Police officers knocked on the door at 7:15 a.m., and McLaurin eventually stepped out.
According to the complaint, McLaurin was sweaty and “visibly nervous.” Allegedly, McLaurin told police he had been with his girlfriend that morning and had just been dropped off. An ATF agent took his picture and texted it to one of the victims of the shooting. The law enforcement shooting victim allegedly said McLaurin’s hair matched the shooter’s but couldn’t say it was definitively the shooter.
Police arrested McLaurin and questioned him at a police station. According to the criminal complaint, McLaurin allegedly admitted he was driving the Malibu near 118th Street and Normal Avenue early Wednesday, and that he began following the Chrysler 300.
McLaurin allegedly explained that a friend told him Tuesday — the day before the shooting — that a white Chrysler 300 had been seen surveilling the area, and he thought the car he found was being driven by “opps” — or members of a rival street gang.
The feds say McLaurin admitted opening fire on the Chrysler with a Glock 9mm that he had purchased for personal protection a few months earlier, and he said he later dropped the gun into a drain.
Authorities said they found a key to the Malibu in a dryer vent tube during a search of the home where McLaurin was found.
McLaurin was arrested by Chicago police at 8:35 a.m. Wednesday, and was transferred to federal custody at 11:03 a.m. Thursday.
McLaurin is charged with one count of using a dangerous and deadly weapon to assault an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. McLaurin faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. During a brief court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather McShain, a prosecutor said they are seeking that McLaurin held in custody as a danger to the community.
McLaurin’s defense attorney initially waived a detention hearing, resulting in McLaurin’s continued incarceration in federal custody.
Three law enforcement officers were shot about 5:48 a.m. Wednesday, July 7, 2021 by an unknown offender near 119th Street and I-57 in the area of the Morgan Park neighborhood and the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago.
Two ATF agents (from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and a Chicago police officer were working together in an unmarked vehicle near 119th Street and I-57 about 5:48 a.m. Wednesday, July 7, 2021 when they were entering the northbound ramp (inbound) to I-57 from 119th Street. They were shot by an unknown offender from the top of the ramp. Chicago police Supt. David Brown said shots were fired from the street. Ashland Avenue runs parallel just to the east of I-57 and connects 119th Street to the onramp.
The injured law enforcement officers apparently escaped the gunfire to an area in front of the 22nd District Police Station at 1900 West Monterey Avenue, which is located near 111th Street and Hale Avenue.
Chicago police investigate a white sedan after ATF agents, CPD officer and two ATF agents were wounded in shooting near I-57 and 119th Street. YouTube Tips ⓘ
Their safe location was initially misidentified by police as 112th Place and Hamlin Avenue, which is about 3 miles west of the shooting scene. A location was also misidentified as 112th Street and Hamlet Avenue. Police found nothing on Hamlin Avenue and found nothing ath the Hamlet Avenue location.
One officer was transported by ambulance and two officers were transported by Chicago police officers from the 22nd District Chicago Police Station to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
The law enforcement officers’ gunshot wounds were initially believed to be non-life threatening injuries. One of the ATF agents was hit in the hand, the other ATF was struck in their side near their arm. The Chicago police officer suffered a graze wound on the back of the head. One of the law enforcement officers is a female.
When news of the shooting broke, it was known that a white sedan and driver were sought for investigation immediately after the shooting. Before the vehicle and suspect apprehended the vehicle was last seen near 118th Street and Normal Avenue, which is about 1.5 mile east of the shooting scene.
The inbound ramp from 119th Street and Ashland Avenue was shut down for investigation, and remained shut down after 10:30 a.m.
The Chicago police officer with the graze wound to the back of the head was the 36th Chicago police officer to be shot in 2021, according to Supt. David Brown.
Late morning Wednesday, July 7, 2021 no suspects were in custody.
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