Judge Orders Continued Detention
Decory Coleman, Jr., 25, of Chicago, was arrested around 5 a.m., Tuesday, June 23 by Macomb police, at an apartment in Prairieview Homes after he allegedly shot another man in the elbow and hand during an argument the night before.
Coleman, Jr. has been charged with unlawful use of a weapon (Class X felony), aggravated discharge of a firearm (Class X felony) and aggravated battery, (Class 3 felony), and was ordered to remain held in the McDonough County Jail following a detention hearing Tuesday afternoon in front of Judge Nigel Graham.
According to Macomb Police Department (MPD) Operations Commander Troy Shoudel, around 11:44 p.m., Monday, June 22, MPD received a call of shots fired in the 400 block of Prairie Avenue, and upon arrival, located an adult male victim, identified in court Tuesday as Michael Burch, 36, of Macomb, with gunshot wounds to his elbow and hand. Macomb police officers applied a tourniquet until ambulance personnel reached the scene. The victim was then transported to McDonough District Hospital and was airlifted to OSF Peoria. He remains in stable condition.
After speaking to witnesses, officers later identified Coleman, Jr. After the shooting, he fled the scene and was reportedly hiding in a nearby Prairieview apartment belonging to his stepmother. Police received a tip that the alleged perpetrator was still in the vicinity and located Coleman, Jr. on the premises. He was apprehended without incident. Coleman, Jr. told the arresting officers that he saw Burch reach into his pocket, and he fired his weapon because he thought Burch was going for a gun. Police recovered a gun, a Glock 19 as described in court by Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Kanzler. Police officials believe this is an isolated incident and there is no continued or ongoing threat to the public.
“We want to express our gratitude to the Prairieview residents for their cooperation in handling this issue,” Shoudel noted. “Having adequate information and space in which to conduct our work allowed our officers to focus their training and skills to bring this incident to a swift and safe conclusion.”
During Tuesday’s detention hearing, Kanzler told the court that Burch shared with police he and a female acquaintance were walking along Prairie Avenue, when an argument broke out between the two men.
Surveillance cameras on the Prairieview Homes property captured Coleman, Jr. in the complex’s parking lot, and the argument between the two men. Cameras also showed him allegedly hiding in the courtyard area from police following the shooting. He was later found in 401 Prairie Ave., Unit B.
A witness told police that he was hiding in the apartment, and that the weapon had been hidden and he was allegedly planning to leave town. Coleman holds an active FOIA card, but does not have a license to carry a concealed weapon, which court reports indicate was uncased and loaded.
Public defender John Sheehan argued against detention, pointing out that Coleman, Jr. does not have a criminal history, and is the caregiver for his grandmother in Chicago.
He advocated for pre-trial release with an ankle monitor. After hearing both sides, Judge Graham noted that due to the severity of the charges and the violence of the incident that Coleman will remain detained in the McDonough County Jail. A first appearance has been set for July 22.
“I’m considering the nature and circumstances of the incident, and the fact this crime was violent and involved a weapon,” Graham stated. “The facts and circumstances justify detention, and the seriousness of this suggests a real and present threat.”
