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Man Smokes Synthetic Weed on Birthday, Fatally Shoots Friend: Prosecutors

By Erica Demarest | February 6, 2015 7:35am | Updated on February 6, 2015 6:12pm
 Joshua Poe was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm.
Joshua Poe was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm.
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DNAinfo; Chicago Police Department

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Prosecutors said an Ashburn man was smoking synthetic marijuana on his 26th birthday when he opened fire on two friends, killing one and wounding the other.

The trio was hanging out in a basement in the 3100 block of West 84th Place when Joshua Poe, 26, grabbed a gun "out of the blue" about 3 p.m. Wednesday, Assistant State's Attorney Sarah Karr said at a bond hearing Friday.

Poe stood over his companions and questioned their loyalty before fatally shooting longtime friend Curtis Lyons, 20, in his face, prosecutors said.

Poe continued to shoot, striking his 19-year-old cousin in the leg, according to police.

Karr said there was no argument or altercation. Poe had spent the morning smoking synthetic K2 marijuana, and Lyons had just begun to roll a blunt of regular weed when the attack occurred, she noted. The cousin wasn't drinking or smoking.

After the shooting, Poe's cousin asked Poe to take him to the hospital, prosecutors said. Poe allegedly helped the teen outside, tossed the gun in the snow and left.

The cousin limped inside and got in touch with his mother and police, Karr said. He was treated for a broken femur at Advocate Christ Medical Center.

Lyons, of the 8000 block of South Richmond Street, was pronounced dead on the scene at 3:39 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Police picked up Poe a short while later when a neighbor reported his location, Karr said. Officers found blood on Poe's clothes and recovered the gun at the scene.

Poe, who's currently on parole for possessing a stolen gun, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery by discharging a firearm.

On Friday, Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Poe held without bail.

Contributing: Mauricio Peña

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