A Waukegan man is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of shooting a gun at a family amusement center, Lake County prosecutors said.
Demonshea Davidson, 32, was convicted of being an armed habitual criminal following a four-day jury trial that concluded on May 8.
Davidson was charged in December of 2022 for firing a gun while at a family amusement center in Waukegan.
At trial, prosecutors showed video that placed Davidson at the scene, including footage that showed inside the amusement center shortly before the shooting. At the time, he was out on bail for a 2019 arrest on numerous firearms charges.
He was arrested in January of 2023 for the amusement center incident, and had been held in jail in lieu of $1.5 million bail. His bail was later revoked after his conviction for the 2019 case, prosecutors said.
“During this 2022 incident, he endangered the parents and the children who were present at the family center that day,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said. “Thanks to the great work of law enforcement, we were able to secure another conviction against a violent individual who now faces decades in the Illinois Department of Corrections.”
Davidson faces a minimum of 12 years and a maximum term of 60 years in prison.
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Truck hijacking
Three Chicago men plotted and then committed a truck hijacking near Long Grove before being captured, police said.
The incident took place on May 7 when a man driving a box truck filled with electronics was rear-ended by a U-Haul truck on Illinois Route 53, near Long Grove Road. When the box truck driver pulled over after the collision, two men in a van pulled up. One of them pepper-sprayed the driver before the two men and the U-Haul truck driver left in the three vehicles.
Chicago police were able to trace the box truck to the 1500 block of Pershing Road and the three men were taken into custody. Lake County authorities have charged them with aggravated vehicular hijacking.
They were identified as Anthony A. Long, 23, of the 1200 block of West 83rd Street, Brence C. Dancy, 31, of the 6200 block of South Morgan Street, and Christopher R. Lewis, 27, of the 5500 block of South Green Street.
Domestic Fatality Review Team
The Lake County Domestic Fatality Review Team analyzed its first case recently in its ongoing mission to prevent abuse and resolve impediments to effective enforcement of domestic violence issues.
The team, which features criminal justice and law enforcement officials along with medical and social service professionals, met in April to study a fatal domestic violence incident in Lake County. The details of the homicide were not released.
The group plans to study two cases in-depth each year, with the goal of “examining barriers to safety, justice and equity; identifying gaps in the response of systems; considering alternate and more effective systemic responses; and developing policy recommendations.”
The review team was created in response to a state law passed in 2021.
The team is co-chaired by Lauren Callinan, Lake County’s first assistant state’s attorney, and Pat Davenport, the executive director of A Safe Place, which helps domestic violence victims.
The review team will analyze cases for two years and then present recommendations aimed at stemming domestic violence.
“Whatever it takes, we must use evidence-based practices and a multi-disciplinary approach to reduce the occurrence, frequency, severity and lethality of domestic violence,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said.