We would need a bigger blog, a faster server, and a lot more staff if TTAG detailed everything wrong with Murder City, USA. However, the story of a liquor store that hired a four-time convicted felon (and registered sex offender) to provide armed security surely is exceptional in more ways than one.
Chester Holmes, 42, got a gig working armed security for a liquor store in Chicago. According the CPD, things went south when a maskless customer walked into the store. Holmes reportedly ordered the man to mask up and the customer seems to have declined the directive from the vigilant guard.
A quick search of Illinois’ sex offender database shows Mr. Holmes earned a conviction for sexually abusing a 16-year-old female when he was 24. He’s listed as a sexual predator. Suffice it to say with four felonies to his credit, he didn’t have a valid FOID card, much less the wallet full of licenses needed to legitimately work an armed security job.
One thing led to another inside the store and cops say Mr. Holmes shot the non-compliant customer. Holmes then followed the wounded customer outside the shop and shot him until the customer was no longer at risk of spreading COVID. Or breathing.
At arraignment, through his public defender, Mr. Holmes claimed he shot the maskless customer in self-defense, claiming that the 28-year-old maskless man would infect everyone with COVID and leave them all to die of the flu-like disease. The public defender then noted that the sexual predator “has a big heart and is a kind-hearted man.”
The judge didn’t buy it. Even in Chicago’s famously forgiving criminal justice system. Mr. Holmes earned the rarity of being held without bail in Cook County Jail pending his trial. That right there is a miracle in today’s Cook County court system.
CWB Chicago has some of the story:
“The victim fled the store, fell outside, followed by the defendant [who], according to the surveillance video, shot a second time. The defendant then paces back and forth and shot a third time,” Marubio said before ordering 42-year-old Chester Holmes held without bail.
Holmes, who is barred from possessing a weapon because he is a four-time convicted felon and registered child sex offender, was working as an armed security guard at the store on the 6000 block of South Racine when a 28-year-old man walked in without a COVID mask around 9:53 am. Monday, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Darryl Auguste.
Holmes and the victim argued about the mask policy and the victim eventually left. He then turned around and walked back in. When he did, Holmes met him with a drawn handgun and shot him, Auguste said.
The victim fell to the ground outside the store.
Holmes, who defense attorney Jonathan Feldman said “has a big heart and is a kind-hearted man,” shot the man again, then paced around and shot him a third time before running away, according to Auguste. The victim, who was shot in the stomach, arm, and leg, was taken to a hospital where surgeons removed part of his intestines, Auguste said.
The moral of the story: not all security guards are properly licensed and vetted. Act accordingly if you have to interact with one, especially in sketchy locations. Like the nation’s third largest city.
By John Boch via TTAG and republished with permission.