Chicago Man Charged with Murder in Oak Park Shooting that Killed Army Veteran

OAK PARK, Ill. (WLS) — The 20-year-old Chicago man charged after an Army veteran was killed in a shooting in Oak Park Friday morning will be detained until his next hearing, after appearing in court Monday.

Jabari McGee has been charged with first-degree murder in connection to the shooting death of 54-year-old Corey Gates of South Holland.

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Gates’ family was in court Monday, but did not talk to reporters.

Police responded at about 1:23 a.m. Friday to the 600-block of South Boulevard and found Gates with an apparent gunshot wound.

He was taken to Loyola Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

READ MORE | 6 in custody after Army veteran shot, killed during Oak Park carjacking: ‘He was a fighter’

Loved ones of the victim spoke exclusively with ABC7 on Friday. They said the shooting began with an attempted carjacking.

Family members said Gates was an Army veteran who served in the Gulf War, and was a fighter even in his final moments alive. They said he fought back against an armed group who tried to steal his car.

The family says the Gulf War Army veteran worked as a phlebotomist, and had just gotten off from a late shift when he was targeted in an apparently random carjacking.

“Getting off the ‘L,’ parked right there, getting in his car,” Cathleen Gates said. “From what they said, it looked like it was a struggle or something. I mean, I knew he wasn’t going to go out like that. He was a fighter. I just want them brought to justice. That’s all I want.”

Police later found three children and two adults matching the description running east on Pleasant Street from Cuyler Avenue and took them into custody. An additional adult male suspect was later taken into custody, police said.

Five of the six people taken into custody were released without charges, police announced Saturday.

McGee is next due in court April 25.