The following vignettes describe the circumstances for killings not ruled self-defense by private individuals with permits to carry concealed handguns. The incidents below all occurred in Illinois. The descriptions include the current, known status of any charges filed against the concealed carry killer as reported by news sources as well as noting instances where the perpetrator committed suicide.
The Violence Policy Center welcomes any new information regarding the status of any case (with verifiable source(s)). Use this link to contact the VPC: http://www.vpc.org/contact.htm.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Unidentified SHOT AND KILLED DURING INCIDENT
Date: December 7, 2022
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On December 7, 2022, an unidentified concealed handgun permit holder, 22, was shot and killed with her own gun in her home. According to police, the 22-year-old woman was in her home when a female suspect entered around 3:18 AM and got into a verbal dispute with the victim. The victim’s gun was taken from her during the dispute, and she was shot in the chest. The victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where she later died. The suspect fled the scene with the victim’s gun.
Source: “Chicago police: Woman with concealed carry license fatally shot with own gun on South Side,” abc7chicago.com, December 7, 2022.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Tajh Moore PENDING
Date: July 17, 2021
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On July 17, 2021, concealed handgun permit holder Tajh Moore, 31, allegedly shot and killed an unidentified man after they took psychedelic drugs together and engaged in sex with a woman who witnessed the shooting. Moore was in a relationship with the female witness, 31, who previously had two children with the man who was killed. At the woman’s home, the group had sex together after taking either LSD, ecstasy, or a mix of the two drugs. The group then decided to go out to a bar. Moore, who had a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification card and a concealed carry license was carrying a gun. As the woman was pulling the car away from her home, she witnessed Moore allegedly shooting the man once in the back of the head as he sat in the passenger seat. The shooting was caught on surveillance video. Moore is a U.S. Army veteran who was honorably discharged in 2018 after serving in South Korea. According to his attorney, Moore suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. Moore was charged with first degree murder.
Source: “Army vet fatally shot man after they took psychedelic drugs: prosecutors,” chicago.suntimes.com, July 18, 2021.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Deshon Mcadory PENDING
Date: May 27, 2021
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On May 27, 2021, concealed handgun permit holder Deshon Mcadory, 40, allegedly shot and killed Christian McDougald, 31, following a dispute over a haircut. The incident began when McDougald began arguing with employees at the Studio 914 barbershop and attempted to leave without paying for his haircut. During the dispute, everyone inside the business except for McDougald and Mcadory, the shop owner, went outside. McDougald followed Mcadory to the back of the shop where Mcadory allegedly shot McDougald once in the chest. McDougald was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The shooting was captured on security cameras and a witness identified Mcadory as the alleged shooter. According to the shop’s Facebook page, haircuts at Studio 914 cost between 15 and 25 dollars. Mcadory, who had a concealed carry permit and a Firearm Owners Identification card, claimed he acted in self defense. Mcadory was arrested and charged with first degree murder.
Source: “Illinois barbershop owner kills man over unpaid haircut,” complex.com, June 1, 2021.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Matarimo Houpe PENDING
Date: August 14, 2019
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On August 14, 2019, concealed handgun permit holder Matarimo Houpe, 35, allegedly shot and killed Andrew Owens, 30, who was attending a funeral repast in Washington Park. According to prosecutors, Houpe and Owens were attending the same repast when Houpe got into an argument with the father of her child. Houpe followed the man as he got in his car to drive away. Houpe’s sister then allegedly handed her a pink 9mm SCCY CPX-1 pistol. SCCY Firearms markets itself as the “King of Concealed Carry” on its website. According to prosecutors, the car had made a turn and was gone from the scene by the time Houpe raised the weapon and allegedly pulled the trigger twice. One of the rounds struck Owens in the face. Owens was rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center and was pronounced dead less than 24 hours later. Houpe remained at the scene and allegedly admitted to officers that the gun was hers and that she had fired it, but was allegedly aiming at the vehicle’s tires as it drove away. Houpe was charged with first degree murder.
Source: “Woman fires pink gun at car leaving funeral repast, kills another guest: prosecutors,” Chicago Sun-Times, August 16, 2019.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Marcus Williford PENDING
Date: July 4, 2019
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On July 4, 2019, concealed handgun permit holder Marcus Williford, 26, allegedly tried to wrestle his gun away from his sister Lisheka Haggard, 34, when the weapon fired, fatally striking her in the left cheek below her eye. The shooting took place at their mother’s home around 1:30 AM. According to prosecutors, Williford told officers that his sister was drunk, and he was trying to help her by taking the gun away. Williford had reported the gun stolen two years earlier and initially told officers that he did not know where the gun was when they arrived at the scene. Williford was charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Source: “Man charged with involuntary manslaughter in sister’s death,” nbcchicago.com, July 6, 2019.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Louis Hicks Jr. PENDING
Date: June 12, 2019
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On June 12, 2019, concealed handgun permit holder Louis Hicks Jr., 33, allegedly shot and killed Sircie Varnado, 46, at a Walgreens in Chicago. Hicks often went to the Walgreens with a badge and gun, telling an employee that he was a security guard and that the employee should call him if there were ever any problems at the store. On June 12, a Walgreens employee texted Hicks asking for his help with a suspicious man at the store, but the man had left by the time Hicks arrived. According to police, Hicks then approached Varnado, suspecting she was involved with the man. Hicks stopped Varnado and accused her of stealing a dress. She gave him the dress and then attempted to leave. During a resultant struggle, Varnado’s bag broke open, revealing pantyhose available for sale at the store. According to prosecutors, Hicks held Varnado in a bear hug, put her into a choke hold, and then slammed her to the floor. Hicks then allegedly falsely identified himself as a Chicago police officer. According to witnesses, Varnado looked up at Hicks and “called him the b-word,” at which point Hicks allegedly shot her in the face. Varnado was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital where she died. According to police, after allegedly shooting Varnado, Hicks walked out of the store and drove away. According to prosecutors, Hicks was a licensed security guard but did not work for Walgreens. Hicks was convicted of burglary in 2003 and should not have been allowed to possess a gun. Hicks was charged with murder and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Source: “Cops say a Walgreens manager suspected shoplifting. He didn’t call the police,” newser.com, June 21, 2019; “No bail for man accused of murder inside Chicago Walgreens,” wgntv.com, June 21, 2019; Man falsely claiming to be a cop before allegedly shooting Black woman at a Walgreen’s still not arrested,” thegrio.com, June 17, 2019.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Juan Lopez SUICIDE
Date: November 19, 2018
People Killed: 4 (including shooter)
Law Enforcement Officers Killed: 1
Circumstances: On November 19, 2018, concealed handgun permit holder Juan Lopez, 32, shot and killed his ex-fiancee Dr. Tamara O’Neal, 38, pharmacy resident Dayna Less, 24, and Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez, 28, with a Glock 9mm pistol at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Chicago. Lopez and Dr. O’Neal, who had recently broken off their engagement, argued in the parking lot of the hospital before Lopez shot and killed Dr. O’Neal. Lopez then shot and killed Less as she stepped off an elevator inside the hospital. Officer Jimenez was shot in the neck during a gun battle with Lopez inside the hospital. Lopez was shot in the abdomen during the gun battle with police before shooting himself in the head. He died at the scene. Lopez obtained a concealed carry permit in 2016. In 2014, his ex-wife obtained an order of protection against him, alleging threats of violence with a gun against her, a neighbor, and a realtor, and alleging that he slept with a pistol under his pillow. Nearly five years prior to the shooting, Lopez threatened to shoot up the Chicago Fire Department Academy and was fired for failing to show up at work while facing allegations of “improper conduct” toward women.
Source: “Mercy Hospital Chicago shooting: Illinois State Police investigating Mercy Hospital shooter’s gun permits,” abc7chicago.com, November 21, 2018; “Gunman who went on rampage at Mercy Hospital had troubled history, particularly with women,” Chicago Tribune, November 20, 2018.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Darnell Hurt PENDING
Date: August 8, 2018
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On August 8, 2018, concealed handgun permit holder Darnell Hurt, 29, allegedly shot and killed Lee Labriel, 32. On the night of the shooting, Hurt had tried to contact his wife several times without success, so he tracked her cellphone to locate her. Just after midnight, Hurt drove to the 5200 block of South Wells where he found his wife driving with Labriel. Hurt signaled for them to pull over before cutting them off with his vehicle so they could not drive away. Hurt’s wife got out of the car and they began to argue before Hurt ordered Labriel, who was not armed, out of the car. Labriel moved from the passenger seat to the driver’s side and tried to get out of the door. Hurt then allegedly shot Labriel in the back of the head with a 45 caliber Springfield handgun. Labriel was taken to the hospital where he later died. Hurt was arrested and charged with first degree murder.
Source: “CTA employee charged with fatal shooting in Fuller Park,” Chicago Sun-Times, August 10, 2018.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Ryan Zike SUICIDE
Date: January 3, 2018
People Killed: 2 (including shooter)
Circumstances: On January 3, 2018, concealed handgun permit holder Ryan Zike, 33, shot and killed his former girlfriend, Claire VanLandingham, 27, with a pistol before shooting himself in the head. Zike approached VanLandingham around 6:20 a.m. as she was leaving her apartment. Following a brief conversation, Zike pulled out a pistol and shot her multiple times before turning the gun on himself. A man who was waiting to pick up VanLandingham witnessed the shooting and rammed Zike with his Land Rover Discovery shortly after Zike shot himself “to avoid being shot.” An autopsy found that Zike died from his self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and that he did not suffer major trauma from being struck by the Land Rover.
Source: “Police: Man killed self after fatally shooting ex-girlfriend in Lake Forest,” chicago.suntimes.com, January 17, 2018.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: John F. Ingram CONVICTED
Date: March 27, 2016
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On March 27, 2016, concealed handgun permit holder John F. Ingram, 21, was allegedly involved in a shooting in Carbondale, Illinois, that resulted in the death of next-door neighbor Timothy Beaty, 41. The shooting, which involved four suspects, was the result of an altercation that started inside at a party, where shots were fired, and then moved outside the house, where the gunfire continued. Beaty had not attended the party and was killed by a stray bullet. Urging a reduction in his client’s million-dollar bail, Ingram’s attorney noted that Ingram has a concealed carry permit issued in Missouri. Ingram was charged with first degree murder in the death of Beaty.
UPDATE: On May 17, 2018, John Ingram plead guilty to aggravated discharge of a firearm and was sentenced to six and a half years in prison.
Source: “Man heads to prison for role in deadly shooting,” wsiltv.com, May 18, 2018; “Murder charges filed in musician’s death,” wjpf.com, June 20, 2016; “Updated: Third suspect in March 27 shooting turns himself in,” thesouthern.com, April 5, 2016
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Sergio Ramirez-Abeja SUICIDE
Date: January 14, 2016
People Killed: 2 (including shooter)
Circumstances: On January 14, 2016, concealed handgun permit holder Sergio Ramirez-Abeja, 43, shot and killed Santiago Garcia-Mendoza, 40, before leading police on a high-speed chase and shooting himself as police were about to place him under arrest. The incident began with a dispute between Ramirez-Abeja and his daughter’s stepfather, Garcia-Mendoza. Witnesses saw Ramirez-Abeja shoot Garcia-Mendoza at least three times in the driveway of Garcia-Mendoza’s home. Ramirez-Abeja then fled the scene and was pursued by police, reaching speeds of up to 85 mph during the 40-mile high-speed chase. An officer struck Ramirez-Abeja’s car from behind, forcing him off the road. As an officer approached the vehicle he heard a gunshot, which was determined to be a lethal self-inflicted gunshot from Ramirez-Abeja.
Source: “Police say man dead after killing daughter’s stepfather, high-speed chase,” Chicago Tribune, January 14, 2016.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Richard Idrovo SUICIDE
Date: August 14, 2015
People Killed: 2 (including shooter)
Circumstances: On August 14, 2015, concealed handgun permit holder Richard Idrovo, 45, shot and killed his ex-girlfriend Alma B. Hernandez, 44, at AmeriCash Loans where she worked, before turning the gun on himself. According to police, Idrovo entered the store around 2:30 p.m., walked to the rear of the store and shot Hernandez twice before walking back to the front of the store and shooting himself in the head.
Source: “Man Kills Ex-Girlfriend, Then Self in Loop Loan Store,” chicago.cbslocal.com, August 14, 2015; “2 people shot dead in Loop victims of murder-suicide, top cop says,” Chicago Tribune, August 14, 2015.