The alleged gunmen accused of shooting and killing a Chicago contractor outside his office near the United Center showed up ready to “essentially assassinate” the 67-year-old, but were arrested within seconds of the shooting after Chicago police officers saw the horrifying scene unfold, prosecutors said in court Friday.
Nassie Mason and Erving Harris are both facing murders charges in connection with the killing of business owner Jerry Lewis.
Lewis was shot in the head by two gunmen just before 1 p.m. Tuesday while walking on the street outside a condo building in the 2100 block of West Madison Street on the Near West Side.
Prosecutors said the shooting appears to have been planned, with the vehicle the gunmen used in the shooting appearing on surveillance video 90 minutes before the shooting unfolded. Mason and Harris were seen inside the vehicle on the footage appearing to be waiting, prosecutors said.
Then, as Lewis left the building, just blocks from the major development project he was working on near the United Center, a witness reported seeing Mason fire a gunshot into the back of Lewis’ head, prosecutors said. The witness took cover as additional shots rang out.
Surveillance video showed Harris firing three more shots into Lewis, prosecutors said in court.
But just as the pair turned to flee the scene, officers who witnessed the shooting while patrolling the area in unmarked vehicles arrested them.
The arrest came just eight seconds after the gunfire, prosecutors said, adding that both suspects were masked and wearing Latex gloves.
Police said weapons were recovered following the shooting.
Both Mason and Harris also face charges for being felons in possession of a weapon.
Mason was convicted in 2023 for unlawful use of a weapon and sentenced to three years in prison and Harris was on parole for aggravated vehicular hijacking in 2016.
Prosecutors argued the two should be ordered detained saying they showed up in a stolen vehicle with Latex gloves and semi-automatic weapons ready to “essentially assassinate” Lewis.
Defense attorneys argued for electronic monitoring, however, saying Mason, 28, is a father of three living with his grandmother and taking classes at Malcolm X college.
Harris, 31, also lives with his grandmother, graduated from Marshall in 2013 and is studying welding, the defense said.
Ultimately, the judge ordered them detained, saying the pair “of course” pose a threat to the community, appeared to plan the murder and “intended to get away with it.”
The next court date is scheduled for April 15.
Lewis leaves behind a wife and son. A motive for his killing was not immediately released.
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