CHICAGO — Police shot and took into custody a man they think is involved in the killing of 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams.
Supt. David Brown said officers were surveilling a “murder suspect” in a western suburb about 4 p.m. Thursday and attempted to stop him on the Eisenhower Expressway.
The man was driving east near Manheim Road when police tried to pull him over. The man crashed his car on the shoulder while attempting to escape from police, Brown said. He then attempted to carjack a family driving in the same direction and police shot him, Brown said.
Brown, speaking outside the 11th District Police Headquarters on the West Side, said two guns were found from the suspect but would not say if the man pointed a gun at anyone.
“That’s yet to be determined by an investigation. As you know, [the Civilian Office of Police Accountability] does all administrative investigations of any police-involved shootings, and that’s yet to be determined,” Brown said.
The man was taken to an area hospital where he is under police guard and was listed in good condition, said police spokeswoman Michelle Tannehill.
Another police source told Block Club one of the guns found with the man was an AK-47 assault rifle.
Brown would not say how long police were surveilling the man but did confirm he is believed to be involved in the Sunday killing of Jasyn Adams. He also said others were involved, but would only say that police only have one offender in custody.
“There are other offenders associated with this, so we don’t want to reveal any further details at this point,” Brown said.
Jaslyn and her father were shot Sunday while sitting in their car at the McDonald’s drive-thru in the 3200 block of West Roosevelt Road in Homan Square. Jaslyn was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she died.
The 7-year-old’s family described Jaslyn as a sweet, lovable and free-spirited girl who loved to play games. She was the youngest of four siblings.
The shooting happened at 4:18 p.m. in the 3200 block of West Roosevelt Road in Homan Square. Jaslyn and her father, Jontae Adams, were inside a car when someone fired shots, hitting them, police said.
Jaslyn was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her father was taken to the same hospital in serious condition but has since been released.
Jaslyn’s grandmother, Lawanda McMullen, said Monday she thinks the shooting stemmed from an argument on social media and was possibly gang-related.
“That baby should not have gotten killed,” McMullen said.
“She was riddled with six bullets because of something that was going on between adults.”
McMullen said Jaslyn had two older sisters and an older brother. She was nicknamed “Pinky” because she was bright pink when she was born. She was a happy, social child, McMullen said.
“She loved to sing and dance. She loved to make TikTok videos and play games on the phone. She was real sweet and lovable. She was a fun, free-spirited little girl,” McMullen said.
On Monday, hundreds of West Side community members held a vigil at the McDonald’s where Jaslyn was killed and called for an end to gun violence.
“I know that Jaslyn will not die in vain. This right here is the beginning of the change we need,” said Johnny Adams, Jaslyn Adams’ grandfather. “It’s time for a change. Change in our neighborhoods, our communities, our systems, everything needs to change. And it starts today.”
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