Zion, Illinois

From the Chicago Tribune of December 2, 2006

Cops: Zion woman killed armed home invader

A woman shot and killed a rifle-toting teenager who burst into her home late Friday night in Zion, police said.

The intruder was identified as Gerrell N. Davis, 16, of Zion, Police Chief Doug Malcolm said Saturday.

Clad in a black ski mask and gloves, Davis forced open the back door of a home in the 1700 block of Jethro Avenue, Malcolm said. This was shortly after the couple in the house heard a knock at the front door and asked who was there but didn't open the door.

The 55-year-old wife heard the doorjamb shatter, grabbed a 9 mm handgun from her bedroom and ran to the kitchen, Malcolm said.

She fired twice and both rounds struck Davis, who was found by police on the kitchen floor still wearing the mask, Malcolm said.

"It's a terrible situation when it involves kids like this, but these were two middle-aged people sitting in their house and someone came in with a loaded rifle," Malcolm said.

"With all the information we have right now, we don't anticipate any charges," he said.

Davis was on juvenile probation for a 2005 aggravated battery charge involving a weapon, Malcolm said.

From the Chicago Sun-Times of December 7, 2006

Family threatened after killing young intruder

Police have arrested a 16-year-old youth in connection with a fatal home invasion in far north suburban Zion last Friday.

The juvenile expected to be charged in the case is being held at the Depke Juvenile Detention Center in Vernon Hills, Police Chief Doug Malcolm said Wednesday.

He would not discuss if the teen was an alleged accomplice of Gerrell Davis, who was shot and killed as he entered the home of Sharif and Saffiyya Darr in an attempt to steal shoes from the couple's eBay business.

Davis, also 16, had his face covered with a ski mask and brandished a .22-caliber rifle when he entered the Darrs' home.

Malcolm said police are continuing to investigate the case after the couple and their relatives were subjected to death threats online and through the telephone.

Hasan Hakeem, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, believes the community has been brought together during this situation.

"The police have been very supportive of the Darr family, and the community has reached out to them," Malcolm said.

CeaseFire, a violence prevention program overseen by Waukegan Township, has also been working to stop any retaliation against the couple.