COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A South Loop woman shot on her 29th birthday is still in a medically induced coma nearly 10 days after the attack, prosecutors said Thursday.
Some friends had just finished setting off fireworks and singing "Happy Birthday" in Humboldt Park when two men got into a fight and three gunmen opened fire about 1:30 a.m. July 5, prosecutors said.
The shooting killed 34-year-old Mecahel Holder, who was shot in his head.
Bullets also struck a 31-year-old South Chicago woman, who was treated at Mt. Sinai Hospital, and the 29-year-old woman, who was shot in her leg, knee and shoulder, according to police.
Assistant State's Attorney Elena Gottreich on Thursday said the 29-year-old is still in serious condition at Stroger Hospital, where she remains in a medically induced coma.
Authorities have identified Brandon Collins, 31, as one of the shooters. He appeared in bond court Thursday on charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder.
Collins is currently on parole for robbery.
According to prosecutors, the three shooting victims drove to the 1100 block of North Ridgeway Avenue on July 4, where they got beer and watched fireworks with several people, including Collins.
Just after midnight July 5, the group sang "Happy Birthday" to the 29-year-old woman, prosecutors said.
A short while later, the female victims were sitting in a car when Collins and Holder got into an argument, according to Gottreich. That's when Collins and two accomplices pulled guns and shot Holder — fatally striking him in the head, prosecutors said.
The gunmen then turned toward the women and fired multiple rounds into the car, shooting both females, Gottreich said. The victims were able to drive a short distance before crashing.
A witness later identified Collins, of the 8000 block of South Brandon Avenue, as one of the shooters, court records show.
Collins is engaged with four children, according to his public defender. He has prior convictions for robbery, aggravated battery to a police officer causing great bodily harm, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, domestic battery and manufacturing and delivering drugs.
Cook County Judge Donald Panarese Jr. on Thursday denied Collins bail.
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