A grandmother in Chicago was killed in a crossfire during a shootout involving a security guard and a gunman in the 200 block of East 35th Street Tuesday. Bobbye Johnson, 55, was walking on the sidewalk around 4 pm when she was hit by one of more than a dozen gun shots that were fired.
According to WGN9 Chicago, Johnson fell victim to a crossfire engagement between a security guard and another man who had gotten into a verbal altercation earlier. At some point, the other man pulled out a gun and shot the 34-year-old security guard in the right leg. This prompted the liquor store security guard, Victor Brown to allegedly grab another security guard’s gun and pounded close to 20 bullets as he fired shots down the street intending to hit the other armed man. Brown’s rain of bullets struck Johnson causing a fatal bullet wound to her chest.
Police and paramedics responded to the scene and immediately rushed Johnson and Brown to the University of Chicago Medical Center where the woman was later pronounced dead.
Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said the guard is reported to be in good condition and was taken to Cook County Jail where he faces one felony count of first-degree murder charges and one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon. Chicago police said the guard has previous convictions for domestic battery, armed robbery with at least 10 arrests on record. Most of his cases were dropped although he pleaded guilty to domestic battery in 2015 and armed robbery in 2010.
He is being held in custody with bail set at $1 million. His lawyer argued in court that his client only had possession of the gun because the impending circumstances required him to use a gun.
Meanwhile, the Bronzeville community mourned the loss of Johnson, who has been known for her work as a home healthcare provider and an active church member of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church. A mother of four and grandmother, her family lauded her singing voice and spoke of how she has even produced her own music and can be viewed on YouTube.
The church and its head clergy, Pastor Scott Onque offered condolences to Johnson’s family in a social media post. "When I say I'm devastated by the news of Bobbye Johnson being a victim of this senseless violence in our City is an understatement! Bobbye was a sweet soul," Onque wrote.
