An 18-year-old Plainfield man is facing attempted murder charges after prosecutors say he drove into five Chicago police officers who were trying to break up a disorderly after-prom gathering on the city’s Near West Side early Sunday morning.
Rashad Johnson was charged with first-degree attempted murder, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, and criminal damage to government property following the crash near the Brooks Homes housing complex at Roosevelt Road and Loomis Street, according to Chicago police.
Authorities say the officers were working to disperse a large crowd connected to an after-prom party that had spiraled out of control when Johnson allegedly drove directly into them shortly after 3:20 a.m.
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Officers struck while responding to growing crowd
According to prosecutors, Johnson was behind the wheel of a blue Ford Fusion carrying two passengers, ages 19 and 20. Investigators say he was driving westbound in an eastbound lane on South Loomis Street when officers attempted to stop the vehicle.
Rather than comply, prosecutors allege Johnson turned south onto Loomis, drove over a curb and into a group of officers standing in the street.
The first officer struck suffered injuries throughout his body. A second officer was treated for an elbow laceration. Prosecutors said Johnson then hit the remaining three officers before crashing into a utility pole.
Two officers suffered head injuries, while another sustained road rash. All five officers were transported to area hospitals and later released in fair condition.
Johnson was arrested at the scene.
Prosecutors argue crash was intentional
During a detention hearing Tuesday, Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Rusch argued that Johnson’s actions were deliberate rather than accidental.
Rusch told the court that Johnson continued driving after striking the first officer and posed an ongoing danger to the community. Prosecutors also pointed to an illegal 30-round MAC-10-style pistol allegedly recovered from the vehicle.
Authorities said Johnson possessed only an instructional permit and was driving without the legally required adult supervision.
Judge Ankur Srivastava ordered Johnson held in custody pending a June 17 court date.
“I want to give people the benefit of the doubt, especially to people that are young and have no criminal history,” Srivastava said during the hearing.
“But it’s not like you didn’t know how to drive and accidentally hit the accelerator. … I think you made a choice, and your choices endangered people’s lives. You have hurt a lot of people.”
Community caught off guard
Ald. Jason Ervin said the incident differed from the so-called “teen takeovers” that have periodically disrupted parts of Chicago in recent years.
Instead, Ervin described the gathering as an after-prom event that deteriorated into chaos after large numbers of teenagers arrived in the area. Residents said word of the gathering spread through social media.
“Normally, we do not have problems in the Brooks Homes for Memorial Day, and so this caught a lot of people off-guard,” Ervin said. “Hopefully the officers recover fully and be able to get back to work.”
The incident has renewed concerns about large unsanctioned youth gatherings and the challenges facing law enforcement when crowds quickly grow beyond organizers’ control.
Part of a troubling weekend
The Chicago crash occurred amid a troubling weekend in which several prom and after-prom events across the country ended in violence.
Elsewhere in Chicago, four teenagers were shot early Sunday after another after-prom gathering on the Southwest Side descended into disorder. All four victims were listed in good condition.
Police have not identified a suspect in that shooting, and investigators said the gunman fled before officers arrived.
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While the circumstances differ, both incidents underscore how celebrations intended to mark a milestone for students can quickly turn dangerous when crowds become unruly and criminal behavior enters the picture.
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