Man arrested with semi-automatic handgun near shooting that left 13 injured
BY MICHAEL LANSU Staff Reporter September 22, 2013 5:36PM
Chicago Police investigating a mass shooting that left 13 people wounded in a Back of the Yards park arrested a man with a semi-automatic handgun at a nearby home, but he was not charged in the shooting.
Voshon “Ov” Simmons, 38, of the 5400 block of South Paulina, was charged with one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of possession of a controlled substance, according to court documents.
A woman approached officers on the block where Simmons lives less than two hours after a 3-year-old boy and 12 others were wounded in a 10:15 p.m. Thursday shooting in Cornell Square Park to report a man standing in front of a nearby building had a gun, according to court documents.
As officers approached, Simmons rapidly walked towards a nearby basement entrance with his right hand under his hooded sweatshirt, prosecutors said. The officers saw the man open the basement door and throw a chrome, semi-automatic handgun into the basement.
Officers prevented Simmons from closing the door and detained him at 11:55 p.m. Thursday, according to court documents. Inside, the officers found the gun, more than 1,500 grams of cannabis worth $25,500 and 116 grams of suspected cocaine and heroin.
In court on Sunday, Simmons’ lawyer argued that police searched the home without a warrant and said Simmons has two children and a granddaughter. Judge Donald Panarese ordered Simmons held on $100,000 bond.
Email: mlansu@suntimes.com
Twitter: @mlansu
