Des Plaines man gets 65 years for attempted murder
A Des Plaines man convicted in a 2012 shooting outside a Chicago tire shop has been sentenced to 65 years in prison, according to the office of Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Jeffrey Grafton, 34, of Des Plaines, was convicted in a bench trial of attempted first degree murder and being an armed habitual criminal charge for shooting a victim several times and also beating him with the gun in September 2012, prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, the victim and another person were outside a tire shop on Chicago's West Side trying to fix the victim's car. When one person went inside the shop, Grafton, who was also outside the shop, pulled out a gun with a silencer and began shooting at the victim, prosecutors said.
They said the victim ran into the street to get away from Grafton, who was still shooting. When Grafton ran out of bullets, he then hit the victim in the head with the gun, prosecutors said.
A Chicago Police squad car was driving nearby and officers heard the muffled shots and saw Grafton beating the victim with the gun, prosecutors said.
When Grafton saw the marked squad car, he dropped the gun and fled on foot, prosecutors said. Grafton was found hiding under a car a short time later and taken into custody.
The victim had five gunshot wounds and required several surgeries.
Prosecutors said Grafton had prior convictions for armed robbery and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Grafton was sentenced by Judge Mauricio Araujo to 45 years for attempted first degree murder and 20 years for being an armed habitual criminal charge, with the charges to run consecutively.