Chicago man charged with attempted murder in DeKalb Father’s Day shooting

DeKALB – A Chicago man has been charged with attempted first-degree murder months after a shooting on Father’s Day in June left one man injured in a playground behind a DeKalb apartment complex.

Darryl A. Harris, 24, of the 1500 block of West Wabansia Avenue, Chicago, also was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated battery with a firearm. If convicted of the most serious charge, attempted first-degree murder, a Class X felony, Harris could face 30 years to life in prison.

A monthslong police investigation identified Harris as the alleged shooter, according to DeKalb County court records.

A warrant was issued for Harris on Sept. 14, court records show. He was arrested the week of Sept. 25 in Chicago, according to the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office. He’s represented by the DeKalb County Public Defender’s Office. He appeared before a DeKalb County judge Sept. 29 and was being held as of Wednesday in the DeKalb County Jail, since Class X felonies are detainable offenses under the new cashless bail system.

The shooting victim, a Genoa man, suffered multiple gunshot wounds June 18 and was treated at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb.

DeKalb police responded at 9:32 p.m. to the 800 block of Ridge Drive on June 18 for reports of people arguing. While officers were on their way, another 911 caller told police they heard between 10 to 12 gunshots fired into a playground and “a lot of screaming,” according to court records.

When police arrived, they found a man suffering from multiple gunshot injuries – later identified as the victim from Genoa – lying in a grassy area behind Amber Manor apartment complex near a patio area.

The victim later told police he was shot in the leg and fell to the ground, but Harris allegedly continued to shoot at him. The victim also said he had confronted a group of men before the shooting in the area “over a previous argument,” court records state. Harris allegedly brandished a gun, and the victim tried to hit it out of Harris’ hands before the shooting began.

Nearby video surveillance obtained by DeKalb police allegedly shows a group of men appearing to get into an argument. As the video progresses, according to court records, a man wearing a white T-shirt, jeans and a dark ball cap was seen shooting into the crowd and walking forward as others ran. The footage then showed the man getting into the passenger side of a gray or silver colored Jeep, while a woman wearing a dark T-shirt and shorts walked over to the driver’s side of the Jeep, according to court records filed by the Dekalb Police Department on Sept. 14.

Witnesses told DeKalb police they allegedly saw the Jeep drive away, which was corroborated by additional surveillance footage.

DeKalb police tracked the Jeep heading west on West Hillcrest Drive toward North Annie Glidden Road. DeKalb Police Department license plate camera readers reportedly showed a Jeep Grand Cherokee leaving the area, which matched the description of the Jeep described by witnesses, court records allege.

About 2 ½ hours after the reported shooting, the same Jeep was pulled over by a Naperville police officer for a traffic-related issue, according to court records. The woman and the man – later identified as Harris – were inside the vehicle and matched the description of the two who fled from the shooting in DeKalb.

A search warrant for Harris’ phone records also allegedly showed that phone was in DeKalb the night of the shooting.

Illinois tollway footage also allegedly captured the Jeep at the Annie Glidden toll in DeKalb shortly after the shooting.

Prosecutors filed a petition to deny Harris’ pretrial release Sept. 29, records show. A search of Harris’s name did not reveal additional DeKalb County-area criminal charges.

He’s next scheduled to appear for a status hearing on his charges at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 25.