A file photo shows a crime scene blocked off by the Chicago Police Department. (WTTW News)
A Chicago man who agreed to sell a pair of designer sneakers through an online marketplace allegedly opened fire on a vehicle full of unarmed teens during their planned meetup in West Pullman, killing one and wounding another.
Tony Mason III, 18, was held without bail Thursday after being charged with numerous felonies including first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder, armed robbery and unlawful use of a weapon stemming from the Sunday shooting that left 17-year-old Jordan Nixon dead.
According to Cook County prosecutors, Nixon was in the back passenger seat of a vehicle around 2 p.m. Sunday with four other friends — one of whom had arranged to buy a pair of shoes from Mason through an online marketplace known as OfferUp.
Mason allegedly asked that person to meet him at 11942 S. State St. — about half a block from Mason’s home — to complete the transaction.
That victim drove his mother’s Jeep to that location along with Nixon and three other friends, all of whom were 17 to 19 years old and unarmed, prosecutors said. Mason allegedly verified the make and model of the victim’s vehicle through OfferUp, and when the group arrived, Mason approached the passenger side of the Jeep carrying the shoes in a bag.
Mason displayed the shoes and then reached inside the vehicle to collect $240 in cash, but instead of handing over the items, he allegedly pulled a firearm from his waistband and began shooting into the vehicle before running from the scene, prosecutors said.
A 19-year-old man sitting in the front passenger seat was struck in the arm, while Nixon was struck in the right torso. Both were taken to Roseland Hospital where Nixon was pronounced dead. The other shooting victim underwent surgery and survived.
Mason’s path to and from the vehicle before and after the shooting was captured on surveillance video and the four surviving victims identified Mason in a photo array, prosecutors said.
On Tuesday, Mason was arrested after he was seen getting into his aunt’s car, prosecutors said.
He allegedly had in his possession a 9mm firearm, but prosecutors said that weapon did not match the four 9mm shell casings recovered from the shooting scene. During the arrest, police also allegedly recovered the same shoes Mason had advertised for sale on OfferUp from a duffel bag inside the vehicle.
Mason is due back in court for a hearing Feb. 14.
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431
