COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — The August shooting that critically wounded a Lakeview man near a BP gas station began as a robbery, prosecutors said Thursday.
Alleged gunman Nikolas Burch, 27, is currently on federal parole for illegally transporting guns, according to Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto, who spoke during Burch's bond hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, 2600 S. California Ave.
Burch was held without bail on charges of armed robbery, aggravated battery by discharging a gun causing bodily harm and two counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer.
According to prosecutors, Burch was in the 3200 block of North Racine Avenue about 8:30 p.m. Aug. 1 to buy a watch from a man who lived nearby.
The pair had met through a mutual acquaintance, Scaduto said, and the 27-year-old victim offered to sell his watch to Burch about a week prior to the shooting.
When the victim left his home to take out the trash about 8:30 p.m. Aug. 1, Burch was standing outside, prosecutors said. The victim immediately noticed Burch's large neck tattoos and bleach-blond hair.
The victim gave Burch two watches to inspect before looking down at his phone, which had begun ringing, according to Scaduto. When the victim looked back up, Burch was pointing a gun in the victim's face, prosecutors said.
The victim tried to swat at the gun, and it discharged — critically striking the man in his neck, Scaduto said. The victim fell to the ground bleeding, and Burch stole the man's watches, cash and credit cards before running away, according to authorities.
A neighbor soon found the 27-year-old victim, who required surgery and time in a hospital's intensive-care unit, Scaduto said. Once the man was able to talk, he described Burch to police and explained what had happened.
Police spotted Burch — who has several large, distinctive neck tattoos — in the 1600 block of West Van Buren Street about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report.
When officers tried to take Burch into custody, he began kicking and spitting at police, and screaming obscenities, Scaduto said.
According to prosecutors, Burch has prior convictions for robbery and aggravated battery causing bodily harm.
The shooting took place in the alley behind the BP gas station at 1200 W. Belmont Ave. Officers were able to obtain video surveillance footage from the gas station in the days following the incident.
Neighbors rushed to aid a man they found shot in an alley at Belmont and Racine Monday evening. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
The arrest comes more than a month after the shooting and at a time when Lakeview residents are on edge amid a rise in major crimes.
Last week, officials responded to the concerns with new plans to place a security guard and canine unit at the Belmont "L" station from 2 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily.
RELATED: Police, CTA Bring In The Dogs As Crime At Belmont 'L' Station Spikes
The Town Hall District has also been placing robbery and burglary squads in neighborhood hot spots, hoping to quell the steepest rise in Lakeview crime in 13 years.
While such crimes are easy to track, shooting incidents can be categorized under multiple statutes, like Burch's aggravated battery charge.
RELATED: Lakeview Crime Sees Steep Increase, But Is It Worse Than 10 Years Ago?
Earlier this month, the district — which includes Lakeview and parts of Uptown, Lincoln Park, North Center and Lincoln Square — also worked with the Chicago Police Department's organized crime bureau in a drug sting near Belmont and Sheffield, netting nine arrests.
Meanwhile, officials have three months left to make good on a promise to add 43 officers to the district by the end of 2016. As of Sept. 1, there has been a net increase of 36 officers.
Citywide, Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson has promised to hire 970 new police officers over the next two years, in addition to replacements for retirees and other vacant positions.
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