Chang Z. Qui | Homicide Watch Chicago

Prosecutors: Robber Deshawn Johnson demanded fried rice then fatally shot Chinese restaurant employee Chang Qui

Michael Lansu — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 15:22:28 -0600

Deshawn Johnson / Photo from Chicago Police

BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

A murder suspect who allegedly killed a Chinese restaurant employee because he only got $20 from a hold-up after demanding fried rice escaped from custody and sprinted from a courtroom Friday before he was tackled to the ground by a Cook County prosecutor.

“Get him! Get him” Judge Peggy Chiampas screamed as 26-year-old Deshawn Johnson ran past lawyers and spectators and through the door of Courtroom 101 at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.

Assistant State’s Attorney Barry Quinn, who quickly tailed Johnson, pulling off the suspect’s coat, was able to the tackle Logan Square man just feet outside the courtroom.

“I started feeling all these bodies on top of me,” a gray pin-striped suit wearing Quinn later said of the half dozen sheriff’s deputies who joined the frenzied tackle.

Johnson wasn’t ready to be taken back into custody.

“Kill me. Kill me now because I don’t want to go back,” Johnson screamed as he was pinned down.

Johnson was eventually taken into custody, kicking and screaming and Quinn was applauded by his co-workers for his efforts.

Just minutes before, Chiampas ordered Johnson held without bail for the October murder of 40-year-old Chang Qui and two separate armed robberies.

Johnson killed Qui because he wasn’t happy with the small amount of cash Qui gave him during the Halloween incident at the See Thru Chinese Kitchen at 5279 W. Madison St., said Assistant State's Attorney Enrique Abraham.

Johnson initially came into the restaurant and demanded fried rice.

But when Qui told him there were no fried rice orders waiting, Johnson became angry, Abraham said.

When Qui took money from the next customer -- a woman who was seven months pregnant -- Johnson allegedly pulled out a black pistol and held Qui up.

Qui refused to give Johnson money, prompting Johnson to fire two to three times, striking Qui in the back and thigh, Abraham said.

Johnson then pointed his weapon at the pregnant woman who hid beside a garbage can, Abraham said.

The woman begged for her life and told Johnson she was pregnant.

Johnson paused for a several seconds before running out, Abraham said.

Johnson is also charged with taking $600 from the Logan Liquor Store and shooting an employee in the right leg at the business at 2639 N. Kedzie Ave., Abraham said.

The victim in the June 21 holdup survived but cannot run and still undergoes physical therapy.

Roughly a month later, Johnson allegedly held up David Food and Liquor at 3158 W. Montrose Ave.

In that armed robbery, Johnson took two bottles of vodka and demanded money once he got to the register, Abraham said.

Chang Z. Qui / Photo from Cook County Crime Stoppers

An employee gave $1,500 but Johnson still fired his weapon, as other customers, including two little girls, looked on, Abraham said.

Luckily, an employee dodged the bullet, which struck a liquor bottle behind him, only leaving him with a soaked shirt.

Johnson left that business but then came back a few minutes later to wipe his fingerprints off the counter and front door.

However, dropped his cell phone, which officers were able to use to track him down, Abraham said.

Police recovered a gun from Johnson’s residence, in the 5200 block of W. Quincy Street, Abraham said.

It was determined that the shell casings from all three incidents most likely came that weapon, Abraham said.

Johnson allegedly gave a handwritten statement of his involvement in the two liquor store armed robberies and a videotaped confession of the fall murder.

He was also captured on surveillance footage from the David Food and Liquor incident and clothes he wore that day were found in his apartment, Abraham said.

Witnesses from the July and October armed robberies also identified him, Abraham said.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine murdered throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 10:26:29 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Nine people were killed by violence last week throughout Chicago last week.

Three of the victims were shot to death over the weekend, when at least 14 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when a 29-year-old man was shot in the face as he sat in the passenger's side of a vehicle in the 1500 block of West 72nd Place in the West Englewood neighborhood, police said. The Cook County medical examiner's office has not yet released his name.

On Saturday, 20-year-old Rayvon Little was shot multiple times while standing in the 6700 block of South Morgan Street in Englewood about 7 p.m., authorities said.

Little, who lived on the block, died just over an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office. A 19-year-old man standing next to Little was wounded but survived, authorities said.

The 19-year-old man was shot in the leg and taken to Stroger Hospital for treatment, police said.

On Friday, 41-year-old Chinese restaurant employee Chang Z. Qui was shot about 7:10 p.m. Friday during an attempted robbery at the eatery in the 5200 block of West Madison Street, authorities said.

Qui, of the 3200 block of West Wallace Street, died about an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Wednesday, 41-year-old Pierre Peters was fatally shot inside his home in the 0 - 100 block of North Lorel Avenue in the Austin neighborhood about 2:35 p.m., authorities said.

On Tuesday, 48-year-old parolee Christian Williams fatally stabbed 53-year-old Thomas Sanchez inside a home in the 600 block of East 111th Street, prosecutors said.

Police were called to the home Wednesday and Sanchez, of the 11200 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue, was declared dead at the scene, authorities said.

Prosecutors said Williams, who was free on parole for a 1993 murder, was renting a room in the home when he let Sanchez inside and stabbed him to death.

On Monday, 25-year-old Bobby Moore was shot in the chest and neck in the 8300 block of South Kingston Avenue in the South Chicago neighborhood about 7:40 p.m., authorities said.

Moore, of the 7300 block of South Oglesby Avenue, died about an hour later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Chatham neighborhood, 34-year-old Darryl Owens Jr. was walking in the 800 block of East 87th Street when a gunman emerged from a gangway and shot him multiple times about 5:35 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Owens, of the 7300 block of North Damen Avenue, died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn at 11:50 p.m. Monday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Humboldt Park community, 22-year-old Owen C. Spears was shot several times in the 700 block of North Trumbull Avenue area about 4:30 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Spears, of the 700 block of North St. Louis Avenue, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killings started when 22-year-old Oduro Yeboah was shot while driving in the 4700 block of North Clarendon Avenue about noon Monday, authorities said.

Yeboah, of the 800 block of West Belle Plaine Avenue, was shot in the head, crashed the car and died the next day at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the medical examiner's office. Another person was wounded but survived, police said.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 367 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 14 people killed by police.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different by following federal guidelines, have ruled some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Chang Z. Qui killed in attempted robbery at Austin restaurant

Michael Lansu — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 12:03:18 -0500

Scene where Chang Z. Qui was fatally shot / Photo from NVP

A Chinese restaurant employee was shot to death during an attempted robbery Friday night in the Austin neighborhood.

A gunman entered the See Thru Chinese Kitchen in the 5200 block of West Madison Street about 7:10 p.m. Friday and demanded money, authorities said.

At some point during the attempted robbery the gunman shot 41-year-old Chang Z. Qui in the back, authorities said.

Qui, of the 3200 block of West Wallace Street, died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 8:02 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The gunman ran away after the shooting, police said. Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire