Tipsheet

Chicago Suspect Accused of Shooting Robbery Victim Might Have Been Stopped By Police Beforehand

Julio Rosas
Julio Rosas  |  May 18, 2022 5:20 PM

The tragic case of 23-year-old Dakotah Earley, who was shot in an armed robbery attempt, has gotten even worse as it turns out that the suspect, Tyshon Brownlee, 19, could have been stopped by police barely an hour before the incident.

CWBChicago reported an hour before the attempted robbery, Chicago police were told a stolen BMW was found nearby. When officers tried to pull the vehicle over, the driver sped away and officers did not pursue:  

"Chicago police dispatchers notified patrol officers that a GPS tracker had located a stolen BMW on Northerly Island, just east of Soldier Field. The car had been taken from an armed robbery victim in Lakeview the night before.  Police found the car on Museum Campus Drive and tried to pull it over. But the driver sped away and the cops let it go.

"'It took off. We tried to put a stop on it,' an officer radioed. 'We’re not following. We’re not chasing. Show us heading into [the station] to do an eluding' report.

"Almost exactly an hour later, that BMW rolled up to the corner of Webster and Wayne in Lincoln Park. A gunman got out of it and ambushed 23-year-old Dakotah Earley in an armed robbery attempt. Within seconds, Earley’s life changed forever when the robber shot him three times at close range while demanding his phone password — twice in the back, once in his head."

CWBChicago notes there are many reasons why a Chicago officer would end a car pursuit because they must consider department policy on the subject, which is over 13 pages long.

Alderman Brian Hopkins said Earley is alive but remains hospitalized. One of his legs has been amputated, his jaw has been wired shut, and he will require a voice box. Prosectors have charged Brownlee with attempted murder and five counts of robbery.