COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A man who was showing off an AR-15 assault rifle to several teens got "paranoid" they would try to steal it, so he shot one of the boys in the back with the gun, killing him, prosecutors said.
Authorities said 22-year-old Tramell McGraw-Anderson was hanging out on a porch in the 6900 block of South Vernon Avenue in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood when he showed off the huge gun.
After taking the gun out of a duffel bag and showing it to a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, he got nervous about what they might do, Assistant State's Attorney Heather Kent said.
"After showing witnesses the assault rifle, [he] became paranoid that the 15-year-old victim and a 16-year-old witness were going to steal his gun," Kent said in court Tuesday.
McGraw-Anderson then shot Tommie McNeal, 15, in the back in the gangway outside the home, she said. Police said the shooting happened about 1:36 p.m. on Sept. 20.
After the shooting, a witness said McGraw-Anderson took the time to break down the weapon and put it back in the duffel bag.
Charged with first-degree murder, McGraw-Anderson was ordered held on $1 million bail Tuesday by Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr.
Assistant Public Defender Marijane Placek said McGraw-Anderson works as a security guard for Advanced Security Systems.
