Oak Lawn Medical Student Shoots Brother 6 Times: Police

OAK LAWN, IL — An Oak Lawn medical student is accused of shooting his brother six times while the two were having an argument in their home. Terrance Johnson, 29, appeared Thursday before Cook County Judge Donald Havis on a charge of attempted first-degree murder.

Just after midnight on Tuesday, Feb. 8, Oak Lawn police answered a call of a person shot inside a home in the 9600 block of South Karlov Avenue. Officers arrived to find Johnson standing outside the house next to his car. Johnson’s brother was found badly bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds behind a closet in the attached garage, the prosecutor said.

The brothers’ mother, who the prosecutor said witnessed the shooting, told police her sons were having an argument when Johnson became “unnecessarily angry.” According to mother, Johnson went upstairs and came back down with a gun.

Pushing his mother out of the way, the prosecutor said Johnson fired six shots at his brother, who was trying to protect himself by getting behind an armoire near the dining room. Wounded, the brother walked through the kitchen and then into the attached garage, leaving a blood trail, the prosecutor said.

When officers found Johnson’s brother, he had slipped into unconsciousness. The brother was transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. He was treated for gunshot wounds to his legs, upper arm and back, and will most likely require surgery.

Both Johnson and his mother called 911 to report the alleged shooting. The prosecutor said Johnson admitted to the 911 dispatcher that he had shot his brother in self-defense when his brother tried to suffocate him. When officers arrived, they said Johnson also voluntarily admitted that he had shot his brother in self-defense.

Johnson told police they could find the gun in his car, which was in plain view on the passenger seat, the prosecutor said. Officers also allege that they found a loaded 10-capacity magazine on Johnson's person. The gun also believed to be used in the shooting was also found loaded with three rounds.

Officers could not find any marks on Johnson consistent with his story of having to fend off his brother and then shooting him in self-defense, the prosecutor said.

Evidence technicians from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office assisted Oak Lawn police and recovered seven spent shell casings inside the house. Johnson has a valid FOID card and concealed-carry license.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Johnson is a full-time medical student at Rush University and works as a home caregiver for the elderly. He lived with and cared for his mother, who has dementia. The attorney said the argument between the brothers started in the kitchen, when Johnson’s brother supposed swung at Johnson with a large butcher knife.

The prosecutor said that Johnson had a misdemeanor for criminal trespassing in 2017, for which he received supervision, and a 2013 drug paraphernalia charge.

Bail was set at $1 million. Johnson is also to surrender his FOID and firearms to the Oak Lawn Police Department. Johnson’s next court hearing is March 9 in the Bridgeview Courthouse.

If convicted, Johnson faces a possible sentence of 25 years to life imprisonment.