CHICAGO — A 24-year-old Alsip man had to flee an angry crowd and ended up shot in his leg after he killed a man in South Chicago Friday night, authorities said.
Brandon Ewing, of the 3700 block of West 119th Street, was ordered held without bail Monday. He is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Kevin Sanders, 34.
Authorities said the two men argued Friday night at an apartment building in the 8700 block of South Burley Avenue before Ewing shot Sanders about 11:10 p.m.
Cook County Assistant State's Attorney James Pontrelli said Ewing shot Sanders several times in his lower body, causing Sanders to fall to the ground. When he did, Ewing stood over him and fired into Sanders' body, Pontrelli said.
Sanders was taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at midnight.
Police found four .45-caliber shell casings near Sanders' body after the shooting.
Pontrelli said Ewing fled to a nearby apartment after the shooting, but was shot by someone as he ran off. A large crowd then gathered at the apartment trying to get to Ewing, but police arrived and arrested him after finding him hiding under a bed inside.
A .45-caliber handgun was found hidden in the stove in the apartment, Pontrelli said.
Ewing has several drug convictions on his record, and was sentenced to four years in prison on a 2008 case of delivery of a controlled substance.
He admitted to authorities that he had fired the .45-caliber, and was taken into custody and hospitalized, police said.
In bond court Monday, Assistant Cook County Public Defender Marijane Placek said Ewing was acting in self-defense.
"The bullet [wound] in his leg shows that he was shot at," she said.
But Pontrelli said Ewing was not shot until after he gunned down Sanders. Ewing limped into court Monday wearing hospital garb.
Placek also said Ewing was staying at the apartment complex to care for his girlfriend, who lost her leg in a car accident recently. Ewing had only recently been released from the hospital for injuries he suffered in the same accident, she said.
According to statements Ewing made to police, he was trying to buy pot when the altercation occurred, Pontrelli said.
