Murder, Crime Spree Suspect Surrenders in South Side Standoff

Police arrested a man Wednesday who they say carried out a South Side carjacking before embarking on a crime spree that culminated with the murder of a Summit gas station clerk.

Manuel Gama, 19, was captured following a standoff near 103rd Street and Avenue G in the East Side neighborhood, according to a Chicago Tribune report. He faces one count of first-degree murder in the July 6 killing of 34-year-old Ghassan K. Abujeries, an employee of the Shell gas station at 7200 W. 63rd St. in Summit.

"Police obtained a warrant for Gama’s arrest on armed robbery charges on July 11 in Bridgeview Branch Court, according to court records," according to the Tribune story. "The warrant carries a $300,000 bail and Gama is due in court on Friday. A 15-year-old boy arrested soon after the crimes is expected in court next week in a juvenile case related to the same crime spree."

The spree included aggravated vehicular hijacking, a robbery and shooting at a South Chicago Avenue Mobil gas station, armed robberies, a hit-and-run crash, and other crimes, police said.

"Detectives from Chicago, the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, Summit and the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force worked to find Gama, whose last known address, according to police records, was in the 9500 block of South Avenue L," reported the Tribune.

Police tracked Gama to the East Side on Wednesday where he had barricaded himself in an apartment. He eventually gave himself up to police.

Read the full Chicago Tribune story for all the details.