Hoffman Estates shooter, victim knew each other, prosecutors say

They don't say how the defendant and victim knew each other, but prosecutors do say that accused gunman Perry Thomas had a prior connection with the 19-year-old man he shot Tuesday in Hoffman Estates.

Cook County judge Kay Hanlon set Thomas' bond at $500,000 Thursday at a hearing at the Rolling Meadows courthouse.

Police charged Thomas, 19, with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm in the drive-by shooting which left the victim with a bullet lodged in his hip. A second bullet entered and exited his leg.

According to assistant state's attorney Matt Fakhoury, Thomas, who was driving a silver Chrysler Sebring, pulled alongside the victim about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, raised a small silver gun, pointed it through the passenger window and fired four shots. Turning the car around, he backtracked and aimed the gun at a witness, Fakhoury said. About 8 p.m. that night, Hoffman Estates police stopped the defendant, who was driving a white Oldsmobile, and arrested him. They also arrested his girlfriend Shavon Walton, 18, who was following Thomas in the Sebring.

Thomas' defense attorney John O'Keefe said his client, a 2007 Hoffman Estates High School graduate, works as a security guard at Northwestern University. If convicted, Thomas faces six to 30 years in prison. His next court appearance is Sept. 12.