New Details Emerge in Hotel Parking Lot Shooting

OAK LAWN, IL — Shots fired outside a hotel in Oak Lawn evolved from a guest passing through a large gathering in the parking lot on his way to get something out of his car, prosecutors said.

Isaac Sharp, 24, of Chicago, appeared before Cook County Judge Margaret O’Garek on charges of armed habitual criminal, aggravated assault with a firearm and aggravated assault. Sharp is currently on parole for two unlawful possession of weapon convictions. He also faces a parole violation. Sharp was released in a year ago from the Illinois Department of Corrections.

A second Chicago man, Marcus Shears, 21, has been charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

Just after midnight on March 30, Oak Lawn police went to the Hilton Hotel at 9333 S. Cicero Ave., for a report of shots fired in the parking lot. A large group of people were arguing in the parking lot. The group parted in two vehicles and were stopped when they attempted to leave.

Officers were flagged down by a witness who indicted that a man, later identified as Sharp, was armed, the prosecutor said. Officers met with the first driver who allowed them to search the car. Police found a Taurus 9 mm handgun in the back seat within reach of Sharp in the back seat, according to the charges.

The driver of the second car also consented to a search. Shears was sitting in the rear seat where officers claimed to have found a black handgun loaded with 10 rounds in the magazine.

After speaking to witnesses, officers found the guest’s Chevy Trax with five bullet holes in the driver’s side door and several shell casings on the ground.

The guest said he walked through the group to get something from his car. He told Sharp he didn’t want any trouble when Sharp began to argue with him. As the guest was getting something out of his trunk, he heard shots ring out and Sharp taunting him. The guest called his girlfriend and told her someone was shooting at him. When she came out of the hotel, the prosecutor said she saw Sharp holding a gun.

Shears and Sharp were taken to the Oak Lawn police station, along with six other people. The men allegedly admitted to carrying the guns, for which they did not have a FOID card or conceal-carry license.

Eight people were initially taken into custody. One person had an active arrest warrant for a domestic battery charge out of Lake County. Three others were charged with possession of a controlled substance, but those charges were dismissed in court Thursday. Police released two people without charging them.

Bail was set at $50,000 for Sharp and $10,000 for Shears. Both are due back in court April 27 in Bridgeview.