Gary Felon Fired Off Shot In Evanston Alley, Fled In Mercedes: Police

EVANSTON, IL — An Indiana man faces a half-dozen felony charges following his arrest in Evanston last week, police said.

Edward Davis, 53, of the 4200 block of West 25th Street, Gary, is accused of firing an illegal gun in an alley near the 2300 block of Foster Street around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.

Dispatchers were told the shooter had fled the area in a black car with Indiana plates, according to police. A short time later, detectives spotted a black Mercedes in Indiana registration near Foster Street and Darrow Avenue, they conducted what police described as a "high risk traffic stop" in the 1900 block of Dewey Avenue.

Davis was alone in the car, which contained a box of .22 caliber ammunition and a pipe used for smoking narcotics, police said.

Investigators found a loaded .22 caliber gun in the area of Davis' arrest and unfired .22 caliber rounds at the scene of the shooting. Police said it appeared he had ditched the gun shortly before being stopped by detectives.

The ammunition found in the car, at the scene and in the gun all matched in brand and caliber, according to police.

Police said Davis, a convicted felon, does not have a firearm owner's license and his driver's license was suspended at the time of the traffic stop.

In addition to the felony charges, he faces misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license and a citation for no proof of insurance.

Cook County prosecutors approved three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and one count of reckless discharge of a firearm.

Davis was ordered held at Cook County Jail unless he can come up with $7,500 cash to secure his pretrial release. He is due back in court June 1.