WASHINGTON PARK, ILLINOIS (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
Washington Park police call Brandon Johnson the "most dangerous man" in their community, but the community helped take him into custody. "He's considered the most dangerous person here in the village of Washington Park," says Detective Kim McAfee. He says Johnson terrorized his community.
Thelma McDougel is a victim.
"He just, he just didn't care," she says. "Just shooting. Just doesn't care."
"I had my little one month old grandbaby, my two year old grandkids, my great nieces, great nephews"
McDougel and police say Johnson, who is thought to be in his early 20's, shot up her Washington Park home in September, with her family sitting outside dodging bullets.
Johnson allegedly shot his girlfriend and another man in the following weeks, and McAfee says he just kept shooting at anyone and any thing.
"He had no regard for human life," says McAfee. "He would shoot up and down the street, between passengers and cars passing by kids on the street. He didn't care about life."
"The day it happened, he came back a second time, about 20 minutes later," says McDougel.
A community that does not always cooperate with police did this time, reporting to detectives each time someone spotted Johnson, but somehow he always eluded detectives.
An anonymous tip Tuesday led them to the back of an abandoned home on North Park Drive. Police arrested Johnson in the backyard of that home, blocks from McDougel's now peaceful home.
"I said, 'Oh thank you!" says McDougel. "And this makes me feel good, real good they got Brandon. I thought they'd never catch him."
McAfee says Johnson is being held on unrelated warrants but he expects to charge him with the multiple shootings Thursday.
"I can rest easier now knowing I won't get a call that he shot or killed someone," says McAfee.
Thelma McDougel is a victim.
"He just, he just didn't care," she says. "Just shooting. Just doesn't care."
"I had my little one month old grandbaby, my two year old grandkids, my great nieces, great nephews"
McDougel and police say Johnson, who is thought to be in his early 20's, shot up her Washington Park home in September, with her family sitting outside dodging bullets.
Johnson allegedly shot his girlfriend and another man in the following weeks, and McAfee says he just kept shooting at anyone and any thing.
"He had no regard for human life," says McAfee. "He would shoot up and down the street, between passengers and cars passing by kids on the street. He didn't care about life."
"The day it happened, he came back a second time, about 20 minutes later," says McDougel.
A community that does not always cooperate with police did this time, reporting to detectives each time someone spotted Johnson, but somehow he always eluded detectives.
An anonymous tip Tuesday led them to the back of an abandoned home on North Park Drive. Police arrested Johnson in the backyard of that home, blocks from McDougel's now peaceful home.
"I said, 'Oh thank you!" says McDougel. "And this makes me feel good, real good they got Brandon. I thought they'd never catch him."
McAfee says Johnson is being held on unrelated warrants but he expects to charge him with the multiple shootings Thursday.
"I can rest easier now knowing I won't get a call that he shot or killed someone," says McAfee.
