Annette McKay, a 19-year-old woman from Chicago, IL, was fatally shot on July 25, 2020. The incident occurred in the South Shore neighborhood, where Annette and another woman were standing in the rear parking area of an apartment building on East 78th Street when gunfire erupted. Annette was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office ruled her death a homicide, stating she died of multiple gunshot wounds.
The other woman, aged 39, was shot in the shoulder and taken to the same hospital in fair condition.
Jamal Sharrieff, a 27-year-old man, was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder in connection with Annette McKay's death. According to Cook County prosecutors, Sharrieff allegedly held his girlfriend at gunpoint on the night of July 24 and used her phone to lure Annette to a Travelodge Hotel in south suburban Lansing. Upon her arrival, Sharrieff forced Annette and his girlfriend to perform sexual acts at gunpoint. When Annette did not "enthusiastically participate," Sharrieff called someone to pick them up from the hotel. The trio was dropped off at 95th Street, and Sharrieff made them walk to the 3000 block of East 78th Street. Around 1:50 a.m., Sharrieff allegedly told his girlfriend to say goodbye to Annette and then shot her in the face.
After the shooting, Sharrieff took his girlfriend to his mother's home and wrapped his gun in the shirt he was wearing. The girlfriend managed to escape and had her mother call the police. Police searched the home and the Travelodge, recovering Sharrieff's jeans, gun, and 20 to 30 bags of heroin. Surveillance videos from the Travelodge corroborated a witness' account, and shell casings found at the scene matched Sharrieff's gun. He was taken into custody on July 27, 2020. Sharrieff had previously been sentenced to prison terms and probation for multiple drug and weapons convictions dating back to 2011.
Annette McKay's tragic death highlights the senseless violence that continues to plague communities. The investigation into her murder and the subsequent arrest of Jamal Sharrieff underscores the importance of law enforcement efforts to bring justice to victims and their families.
