Elijah Suggs, a 20-year-old African American male, was tragically shot and killed on March 7, 2022, in Chicago, Illinois. The incident occurred around 2:50 p.m. at a retail store located in the 6600 block of South Morgan Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood. According to the Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office, Suggs was struck in the armpit and subsequently taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The circumstances
surrounding Elijah Suggs' death involved an argument that escalated into violence. Surveillance footage from the store showed that Suggs and the suspect, Marnell Briggs, who was also 20 years old, were initially seen shaking hands, talking, and sharing a vape pen. Moments later, Briggs left the store, only to return and lend his phone to Suggs. After Suggs returned the phone, Briggs turned his back, pulled out a .45-caliber handgun with an extended magazine, and opened fire, striking Suggs once. Suggs stumbled back into the store and attempted to retrieve a firearm from his jacket but did not reach for it until after he was shot and Briggs had fled.
Following the shooting, several individuals, including Suggs' mother, identified Briggs from the surveillance video. Detectives later discovered financial activity indicating that Briggs had fled to Louisiana, leading to his extradition back to Chicago. Briggs, who had no prior arrests, was charged with first-degree murder and ordered held without bail. His defense attorney argued that Briggs had reason to fear for his life, given that Suggs was on probation and not permitted to carry a weapon.
The case against Marnell Briggs is ongoing, with his next court date scheduled for December 21. The tragic death of Elijah Suggs highlights the pervasive issue of gun violence in Chicago and the complex dynamics that can lead to such fatal encounters.
