According to reports from the Chicago Police Department (CPD), two men were arrested and four loaded firearms were recovered during an investigation into a wanted vehicle on the Magnificent Mile. The recovered firearms included a machine gun and a rifle.
Judge Mary Marubio made the decision to detain Davion Thomas, aged 21, and Erick Griffith, aged 24, as they were deemed to pose a risk to public safety on Tuesday afternoon.
In the afternoon on Monday, police officers were dispatched to the vicinity of Walton and Michigan to search for a white GMC Acadia. The vehicle had reportedly eluded police and was believed to be occupied by an individual armed with a rifle. Eventually, the car was discovered in the 100 block of East Walton, which was conveniently close to the Drake Hotel.
According to Thomas’ arrest report, as the officers inspected the vehicle, they noticed Thomas exiting a store in close proximity. As soon as he spotted the police, he instinctively held onto his waist and immediately began sprinting away from them.
The police apprehended him in the 100 block of East Delaware. As they were taking him into custody, a loaded handgun, which had an illegal machine gun switch and was fitted with a drum-style magazine, fell from his waistband, according to his arrest report.
According to the police, Thomas claimed that he carried the gun for self-defense and was aware that it had a switch that could enable it to fire in automatic mode.
The charges against him include unlawfully using a machine gun and possessing a defaced firearm.
While responding to the report of a suspicious vehicle, officers reportedly witnessed Griffith disposing of a stolen pistol in a planter on the 900 block of North Michigan. According to his arrest report, he was found in possession of the GMC’s key fob.
During the search of the vehicle, law enforcement reportedly discovered an additional loaded handgun equipped with an extended magazine for ammunition, as well as a compact “ghost” rifle.
Griffith has been charged by prosecutors with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and possession of a stolen firearm.
