Homewood Man, 44, Struck Woman With Gun, Threatened To Kill Her On Way Home From Bears Watch Party: Sheriff

HOMEWOOD, IL — A 44-year-old Homewood man is facing multiple felony charges after a Cook County Sheriff’s police investigation found he struck a woman with a firearm while they were returning from a Bears-Packers watch party, the sheriff's office said.

At approximately 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7, a woman approached sheriff’s police officers, who were at the scene of an unrelated traffic crash at Joe Orr Road and Stoney Island Avenue, and reported that her passenger had a gun and was trying to kill her. Officers found the man, later identified as Jabari Gates, and took him into custody.

Police found a gun in the snow nearby, and found a magazine in the vehicle after the victim consented to officers searching it, the sheriff's office said. The victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment of her injuries.

During their investigation, police say sheriff’s detectives learned that Gates was arguing with the victim in the vehicle returning from the watch party in Chicago, pulled out a firearm and struck her with it.

He also pointed the gun at her as she drove and prevented her from calling 911, the sheriff's office said.

On Dec. 9, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved felony charges of aggravated battery/use of a deadly weapon, aggravated domestic battery, and the possession of a firearm-repeat felony offender against Gates. He was ordered to Cook County Jail custody on Dec. 10 following his initial court appearance at the Markham Courthouse.