A former Gurnee resident, who was employed at a Wauconda business, was fatally shot as a “completely innocent bystander” when a shooter opened fire on his car as he drove for Uber in Chicago.
The Chicago Police Department said two men were driving in a white sedan in the 200 block of North Homan Avenue in Chicago around 8:27 p.m. on May 7.
The Uber was traveling southbound on Homan Avenue when a gray SUV pulled alongside the car.
An unknown male offender pulled out a firearm and fired shots from inside the vehicle at the Uber.
Police officials said a 38-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and was transported to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified him as Jassen Cho, 38, of Chicago.
A second victim, identified by the medical examiner’s office as Damarion Johnson, 18, of Chicago, was shot multiple times.
He was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was also pronounced dead. No other injuries were reported.
Cho previously lived in Gurnee but returned to living in Chicago as an adult after graduating Magna Cum Laude at DePaul University with a finance degree.
He was working at Progressive Components in Wauconda, which is a tooling and componentry manufacturer, at the time of his death.
Cho was nearing his 10-year anniversary at the company as a senior financial analyst. He loved the company and his coworkers and described it as the “best company he was ever a part of,” according to his obituary.
Cho recently began driving Uber when he had free time and loved meeting new people and anyway to financially get ahead, his obituary said.
Cho was described as an “incredible human being that became best friends with everyone he met.”
“He was the most fun person many had ever met and one of the kindest, to boot. Jassen was an incredible boyfriend, loving brother, loyal son, fierce friend, fun-loving uncle, intelligent employee, and a Renaissance man with more skills, hobbies and talents than most people could accomplish in three lifetimes,” his obituary said.
A funeral was held last Friday at Gurnee Salata Funeral Home in Gurnee followed by a celebration of life at Hotel Ten in Gurnee. “Jassen will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew him.”
Johnson, the passenger in the Uber, died just days before he was expected to commit to a college with a full-ride scholarship for basketball.
Johnson was a member of Project sWish, a community organization that uses basketball to combat street violence in underresourced communities.
“Damarion was more than just a hooper — he was family and a light in our community. His passion for the game, his funny and vibrant personality, and the way he lifted everyone around him left a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing him. DJ was frequent with PSC as he participated weekly in programming, spring break trips, lock-ins, and everything else we held,” Project sWish said.
“But our relationship with him extended beyond programming. We spoke with him multiple times a day, saw him multiple times a week, and supported him as real family. The gym, the planes, the busses, etc. will never feel the same without his energy, his smile, his jokes, and the heart he brought to the program,” the group said, adding that they were “heartbroken” by the loss.
A visitation is scheduled for Johnson on May 29 and the funeral service is scheduled for May 30.
A $10,000 reward is being offered by the Cook County CrimeStoppers for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.
No arrests have been announced in the case and the Chicago Police Department Area Four Detectives continue to investigate the case.