2 charged with trying to rob undercover federal agents during Country Club Hills ATF operation
Two men have been charged with attempted robbery and a third with firearms trafficking in an incident that led to ATF agents opening fire in Country Club Hills.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was conducting a firearms trafficking operation at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when an ATF special agent and a task force officer who also is a member of the Chicago Police Department opened fire.
Two people were shot, taken into custody and treated at a local hospital.
Friday, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Amir A. Fagan, 19, of Harvey and Demond Edwards, 18, of Markham attempted to rob two ATF officers during an undercover operation. According to prosecutors, the officers went to a home with an informant to make a firearms purchase. While they were waiting outside, prosecutors said Fagan, Edwards and a third person drove up, got out of their car, pointed guns at the officers and informant, and tried to rob them.
Another team of ATF agents quickly arrived at the scene and fired shots at Fagan and Edwards, striking Fagan, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said the alleged getaway driver, Cashonn Toney, 18, of Robbins rammed their car into an ATF vehicle while trying to flee the scene.
Prosecutors said Edwards tried to run away, but when officers found him there was a physical altercation and another officer shot him.
Prosecutors have charged Fagan and Edwards both with attempted robbery and Toney with forcibly assaulting a law enforcement officer. Their first court appearances are pending.
The alleged firearms trafficker the undercover officers were there to buy from, 29-year-old Tevin Curlee of Country Club Hills, is also charged in the trafficking investigation with unlawfully possessing and transferring a machine gun.
In a separate complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Chicago, prosecutors allege Curlee sold a handgun equipped with a device that converts it into a machine gun to undercover officers in Crestwood on June 3. His first court appearance is also pending.
