Indiana Man Charged For Purchasing Firearm Used To Kill Chicago Officer

A 29-year-old man was arrested after it was found that he illegally purchased a firearm that was used to kill a female Chicago police officer on Saturday.

The man was identified as Jamel Danzy from Indiana. It appears he purchased the gun on behalf of a friend that was eventually used in a crossfire on Saturday.

Killed from the shooting incident was Chicago Officer Ella French at about 9:08 a.m. on Saturday.

According to reports, Ella and two other officers with the CPD’s Community Safety Team were making a traffic stop on that day. A vehicle with three occupants was stopped at 63rd Street and South Bell Avenue.

But as they approached the vehicle, one of the male passengers fired at the officers. Chicago police returned fire but Ella was struck and killed. A male officer was also shot and is in critical condition per an official police statement.

There was also reportedly one person in the vehicle who got shot and was brought to the hospital. One of the occupants was arrested at the scene while the third one was apprehended on Sunday morning.

A weapon used at the scene was recovered. It appears only one of the suspects fired at Ella and the two officers at the time.

One of the suspects had a Glock .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol, believed to be the one used in the shooting. When checked, investigators found that it was registered to Danzy.

The 29-year-old was arrested Sunday night and initially said he purchased the firearm legally in March 2021. However, later admitted that he had purchased it on behalf of a friend since he was unable to buy a firearm due to a past felony conviction for theft in Wisconsin.

“Tragedies like this happen when people straw purchase firearms on behalf of those who are prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms themselves,” Kristen de Tineo, special agent-in-charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives stated. “ATF remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate these firearms trafficking schemes and prosecute those responsible.”

Should Danzy be convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

The suspects were identified as Emonte Morgan and Eric Morgan. The third suspect is reportedly a female and has yet to be charged according to WGN9.