Michael Upshaw, a 24-year-old African American male, was fatally shot on April 6, 2020, in the South Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The incident occurred in the 2100 block of South Central Park Avenue, where he was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the chest around 9:20 a.m. He was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Cook County medical examiner's office confirmed that Michael Upshaw died from his gunshot wounds and ruled his death a homicide.
The investigation into Michael Upshaw's death revealed that he was shot and killed by Henry Hughes, a 26-year-old male, who was on GPS electronic monitoring at the time of the incident. Hughes had been previously charged with felony aggravated battery of a child causing great bodily harm and felony domestic battery causing harm with prior convictions. Despite these charges, he was released on bail and placed under electronic monitoring. Three months later, while still under monitoring, Hughes shot and killed Michael Upshaw. Following the shooting, Hughes was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder. He is currently being held without bail.
The case of Michael Upshaw's murder highlights the ongoing issues with the bail system in Cook County, where individuals charged with violent crimes are sometimes released on affordable bail, only to commit further violent acts. This incident has sparked discussions about the effectiveness and safety of the bail system, particularly in cases involving individuals with a history of violent behavior. The investigation into Michael Upshaw's death is ongoing, with Area Central detectives leading the homicide investigation.
