Teen charged with attempted murder in Hoffman Estates shooting

A 19-year-old man shot in the leg in Hoffman Estates was recuperating in fair condition at St. Alexius Medical Center.

Police arrested and charged Perry Thomas, 19, of 1789 Williamsburg Drive in Hoffman Estates, with attempted murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm in the drive-by shooting, said Hoffman Estates police Lt. Rich Russo.

Thomas knew the victim, and shot him once in the inner right thigh and another time in left leg, Russo said. The incident happened around 2 p.m. Tuesday on the 1700 block of Queensbury Circle.

Thomas' live-in girlfriend, Shavon Walton, 18, was also arrested by police and charged with obstruction of justice after police said she gave them false information when questioned about the shooting. The pair were arrested at about 8 p.m. Tuesday, Russo also said.

Thomas was due in court Wednesday but his bond hearing was postponed until today, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Matt Fakhoury said.

Walton did appear, and her bond was set at $20,000 by Judge Kay Hanlon. She's due again in court Sept. 12.

Russo said Thomas fired three or four shots from the driver's seat of a silver Honda traveling west as the victim stepped out of a townhouse, Russo said. It was unclear if the victim lives in that residence. A neighbor then called police after hearing the gunshots.

After witnesses gave police a description of the vehicle, officers tracked down a car belonging to Walton Tuesday night, state's attorney's spokesman Andrew Conklin said. When questioned, Walton lied to police and said the car was parked at her workplace the entire day at Barrington Square Mall in Hoffman Estates, Conklin added. He said footage from the mall's parking lot cameras showed the car wasn't present the entire day.

Paramedics took the shooting victim to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, and hospital spokeswoman Cyndi Alexander confirmed he was there in fair condition.

Not much has been revealed about the relationship between Thomas and the victim, but Russo said the two knew each other and the victim was the only target.

"This wasn't a random shooting," he said.

Russo said the weapon has not been located.

After the shooting, Russo said the victim made his way to Manchester Boulevard a few hundred feet away. He was conscious and able to speak with police, Russo said.

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