Chicago, IL: A 19-year-old Chicago man was arrested for shooting a 16-year-old in a gun purchase deal gone bad while the suspect was on a ‘first offender gun probation’ program.
Well so much for the ‘first offender gun probation’ program.
Authorities reported that Jarell Garner arranged to meet with a 16-year-old male teenager at a local convenience store to purchase a handgun. The security camera footage captured both individuals casually walking throughout the store.
As they approached the rear area of the store between the refrigerator and a produce isle, security footage showed the 16-year-old pull out the handgun for Garner.
According to CWB Chicago news column, it stated:
“They went inside the store, completed a CashApp transaction, and Garner bought a couple of cigars, giving one to the teen.”
The column continued:
“…surveillance video showed the boy pointing to features on the weapon before Garner grabbed it from the teen’s hand and ran out of the store.”
The teen foolishly decided to chase after Garner. After catching up to him outside the two began to struggle over the handgun. During the altercation, Garner allegedly shot the teen once in the stomach.
Local police tracked both individuals down and Garner was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated discharge of a weapon.
The teen has not been charged yet, it remains unclear what, if any, charges will be issued. The teen has however, been refusing to cooperate with authorities.
As for the ‘first offender gun probation’ program, it appears it did not have reach its intended goals.
This fact didn’t get by the judge either despite the public defender’s plea for mercy and leniency.
According to the column:
“Assistant Public Defender Suzin Farber argued that the weapon might have been fired by the 16-year-old and, either way, she said, the shooting was not intentional. Garner is a high school graduate, the father of two young children, and works as a clothing manufacturer, she said as she urged Judge Ortiz to deny the state’s request to hold Garner without bail.”
In response to the request, Judge Ortiz stated:
“At the age of 19, while having been given the benefit of first-offender gun probation, here he sets up another transaction with a juvenile to obtain another illegal firearm. Illegal firearms that fuel the gun violence on these city streets every single day. And someone ends up shot.
Someone ends up shot. Maybe someone else is in the wrong also. But they end up shot in a public place … That’s as big as it gets in terms of danger to the community.”
The First Offender Gun Probation
Illinois has enacted a progressive probation policy that allows certain offenders charged with a gun possession to go on probation to avoid a felony conviction. The offenders must meet a specific criterion, and if they are eligible they are ultimately given a ‘second chance’.
Garner was such a case but didn’t work out the way the program is intended.
In fact, he is not the only one.
In another troubling ‘program’ case, Lorenzo Clark, who was on the First Offender Gun Probation program, approached a pizza delivery driver as he sat in his car following a delivery.
Clark attempted numerous times to sell the driver marijuana, all to no avail. As the driver put the car into gear, prosecutors allege that Clark pulled out a gun and placed it on the driver’s neck.
The driver lunged away from the gun and slammed on the gas pedal, speeding away. But not before Clark could fire two shots at the driver at point blank range- and missed.
Does the Program Work
The well-intended, perhaps grossly underestimated program has come under fire and has many critics questioning the design and structure of the program.
From a law enforcement perspective, if you are illegally armed with a gun, we can bet a kidney you don’t have good intentions. As the saying goes ‘people who are looking for blood tend to find it.’
Giving such dangerous criminals a second chance is risky and nearly cost two people their lives.
It is unclear at this whether the program will continue unchanged or if alterations are expected. Hopefully it won’t take the life of an innocent person before change happens.
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