A judge on Tuesday sentenced a man to 35 years in prison for shooting two people, one fatally, during the 2020 Puerto Rican Day festivities in Bucktown.
Lazerice Drew, 27, pled guilty to murder and attempted murder in exchange for consecutive 25- and 10-year terms from Judge John Lyke, according to court records. He must serve the entire murder sentence and 85% of the 10-year term.
On June 20, 2020, just before 7 p.m., Brandon McGhee and some pals stopped at a convenience store near the Western Blue Line Station. McGhee and a 16-year-old were getting out of the car when Drew, convicted murderer Carlos Coleman, and a third person crossed the street toward them, shouting for them to reveal their gang connection, prosecutors said. McGhee’s friends and family later clarified that he was in town for the festival and had no gang affiliation.
During an initial court appearance, prosecutors claimed Coleman, who was 39 at the time, attempted to hit McGhee’s companion. The child ducked, causing Coleman to tumble, and the confrontation escalated rapidly. According to authorities, the youngster and Coleman fled when they noticed Drew reaching for his waistband as if he had a pistol. Drew opened fire, shooting McGhee in the neck and the 16-year-old in the arm as they fled.
McGhee was killed. Police stated that neither he nor the 16-year-old had any prior encounter with CPD.
The shooting also endangered onlookers. One bullet passed through the glass of a couple’s car as they drove down Western Avenue. The bullet almost missed the occupants, but the man driving was injured by flying glass.
According to authorities, Coleman fled one direction after the incident, while Drew and an unknown third defendant fled in the opposite direction. Witnesses reported that the males looked to have Puerto Rican flags wrapped around their bodies.
Drew was caught on surveillance cameras changing his clothing before ditching his revolver in an alley behind the 1900 block of North Milwaukee Avenue. Police discovered the firearm around 20 minutes later.
Within two weeks, a court issued an arrest warrant for Drew after authorities identified him by comparing tattoos on his social media profiles to those of the gunman. However, he eluded capture for a year before being apprehended by authorities following a car accident in July 2021.
Coleman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March 2024, according to court documents, but he has yet to be sentenced. His next court date is August 20. According to prosecutors, he was previously convicted of murder in 1998, sentenced to 40 years in prison, and paroled in 2018.
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