Gun Used In Shooting Of CPD Officer Was Straw Purchased: Attorney

CHICAGO — The gun used to fatally shoot Chicago police Officer Ella French during a traffic stop Saturday was bought illegally on behalf of another man, federal prosecutors said Monday.

According to court records, Jamel Danzy purchased the gun for a man who was in the car French and her partner pulled over in Englewood Saturday night. French's partner remains in the hospital with critical injuries from the shooting

Danzy, of Indiana, is being charged with conspiring to violate federal firearm laws, court records show. The act of purchasing a weapon for someone else is called a straw purchase.

Chicago police have charged two brothers, Eric and Emonte Morgan, who they took into custody on the night of the shooting. According to authorities, one of the brothers was arrested in possession of a Glock semi-automatic pistol. Investigators traced both the gun and the car to Danzy, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors said Danzy, 29, bought the gun in March from a licensed store in Hammond, IN. Paperwork shows he claimed to be buying the weapon for himself. ATF agents said Danzy told them he purchased the gun for one of the Morgan brothers.

"Straw purchasers and firearm traffickers enable violence with deadly consequences," said attorney John R. Lausch, Jr.

Both Morgan brothers had prior criminal records and could not legally purchase a weapon. One Morgan brother — the complaint did not specify which — gave Danzy money and told him the exact type of gun he wanted Danzy to purchase for him, the complaint states.

One of the Morgans then picked up the gun from Danzy in Indiana. A few months later, the man and his brother were arrested with the same gun.