Police are still investigating the shooting that left 16-year-old Damon Phillips dead. (Photo: Pioneer Press)
A Chicago teen was shot dead last Saturday after attempting to rob a 24-year-old man with a valid concealed carry permit.
The investigation is still ongoing, but according to authorities the suspect, identified as 16-year-old Damon Phillips, tried to rob a man at a bank parking lot in Oak Park, Illinois, on May 27, around 11:15 a.m.
Police said that the two men exchanged gunfire before Phillips fled into a getaway car nearby.
The teen was dropped off at John H. Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:50 a.m. Phillips cause of death was “gunshot wounds of the chest,” per the Cook County medical examiner’s report.
Police are still looking into who dropped off Phillips at the hospital. Meanwhile, the concealed carry permit holder has not been charged for the shooting. Though, that may change pending the results of the investigation.
“According to police, the [24-year-old] shooter is considered the victim at this point,” Oak Park village spokesman David Powers told the Chicago Tribune. “The Cook County State’s Attorney could decide otherwise based on the findings of the investigation, which is still ongoing.”
Assuming that the shooting was indeed justified, it’s crazy to think that only four years ago it was unlawful for law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms. That’s correct. Illinois was the last remaining state to prohibit concealed carry.
That all changed when a three-judged panel for the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals declared that the state’s ban on concealed carry was unconstitutional in December of 2012. The panel gave lawmakers 180 days to restore one’s right to keep and bear arms.
Then, in July of 2013, the state Legislature enacted a shall-issue law known as the “Firearm Concealed Carry Act” that laid the groundwork for a permitting system ran by the state police. Things are not perfect in Illinois. Permit fees are too high, $150, and the training requirement is among the most demanding in the country, 16 hours, but at least citizens now have the means to protect themselves in the public square against those who seek to rob them or harm them.
I carried concealed in Chicago starting at around age 15… a 1911. Had a bad guy looking for me.
Joined the Navy at age 17 in 1964.
Later when I returned from overseas in 1972 I had a special sort of arrangement to carry in Chicago due to my semi official contractor status.
I quit that job in 1980 and was then able to get a Holiday Deputy post where I worked a local lockup one Sunday every couple of months… and that allowed me to carry 24/7. The 1911. I like Glocks but they are not safe without a holster.
I had to attend a County Sheriff’s course that was several months long evenings and week ends. I ended up teaching part of it. It took a political “donation” to get in the program.
After about a decade some guys showed up and collected my badge… change in administration.
I continued to carry 24/7 at all times… didn’t care about “legal”. Went to a .357 S&W Model 13 with a 3 in barrel with a Barrami Grips for concealablity. Sometimes the 1911. No holsters. Used both a couple of times. Never got in trouble with the law.
Moved to Texas in 1997…
Been carrying a Sig 226 in .357 Sig for a long time now. I use a Clip Draw… still don’t like holsters. Last fight in 2007.
You people stop forgiving your govts for tying your hands. If you were raised around weapons as your forefathers intended, no one would need training. It would be natural as free speech and worship.
Shall not be infringed
“Things are not perfect in Illinois”
The cost is indeed to high for what is in fact a right but the course time of 16 hours does not seem unreasonable considering a lot of people have never held a gun let alone shot one. What is missing from this report is the systematic “loss” of applications and the resulting requirement that the applicant re-apply Stan additional $150. I guess you have to balance the budget somehow.
I can’t believe the writer is calling 16hrs of training demanding. Apparently he’s never met a moron with a pistol.
I second your comment. IMO 2 day quick training for granting CCW permit is really not that strict.
Not only are you supposed to be proficient with the firearm and related equipment for safe handling
and use, you should also be trained to shoot very well. You can not do this in two days.
The citizen must also be deemed be sane and responsible member of the American society.
Firearm is a deadly equipment and must be handled accordingly. Heck, even the training courses for the LEO should be considered as a requirement. CCW holders must be well trained.
Robber – Is a dangerous job. With a short life expectancy.
Momma’s – Know where your children are. Teenagers can be there own most dangerous contact.
If we are invoking religion or morality into this classy debate, might I add this tidbit? The 6th Commandment (“Thou shalt not kill”, for you heathens) is a mistranslation circa 1605 from the King James Bible. The Hebrew original has the word “ratshahh”, meaning “murder”, and not “harag”, which means “kill”. Therefore it is acceptable to God to kill in defense of your own or other lives. But not property. The exception is cited where a man slays a burglar at night by accident when defending his home. Such action is not accepted in daylight. And for an accidental killing, fleeing to a sanctuary city for a defined time will prevent the legal punishment, which is, of course, death. See, simple.
Thank you for this – I had to wait 62 years but it was worth it. Bible study and (shitty) Catechism did not teach this.
one less black thug in America”
Many, many more to go!!!
The criminal set the standard of importance when he attempted to steal from an innocent citizen. So, one dead thug of little or no importance, by his own standard. It’s a good start but they’re breeding faster than we can clean them up.
No doubt the Chicago Police and State Attorney’s office will turn inside out trying to arrest and prosecute the shooter while negotiating a slap on the wrist for the robbery suspect.
Why would they want to slap a dead wrist? (the point you are making is valid though; especially in Cook County)
Good one less POS to suck up tax payer money.
It seems sad to me that this young man died and especially so that people would make fun of him or cast aspersions, yes he was a criminal and yes he tried to rob another citizen at gun point and yes it got him killed. He probably had no idea that he was doing anything wrong. The inner cities of democrat controlled areas are cesspits of immoral and evil goings on. I’m glad the legal gun owner survived and perhaps the robber’s death will serve as a warning to his “friends” and cohorts that it might just get them killed if they attempt to rob someone. That would be good. Throwing out the policies and the democrats who put them in place would do wonders for cleaning up the cities. The people in there who can’t learn to live legally and without causing trouble for other people need to be eliminated so they don’t pass on their culture to the next generation. It will be a long hard job but it needs to be done. The only way it will happen is if people start going to church and believing in God and following him instead of passing laws that enrich the wealthy and keep the poor people poor. It’s to late for the one young man. He will spend eternity in Hell for his sins. Teaching them about the love of God and how to follow him is the best way to eliminate evil in the cities or anywhere. You all should try it too.
Wow…
Ditto that Wow!!
it’s a shame god hadn’t already waved his mighty arm or whatever it is he does and vaporized the democrats and cast down the walls and cleansed the pits and so on. guess it wasn’t a priority. guess he let this poor kid down.
Davud, your lack of understanding of God and Satan predisposes your foot in mouth syndrome. Do you actually believe that if God waved his arm and sent demon-rats to hell that people would actually come to a knowledge of God and change their ways? Jesus came and performed too many miracles to mention, but not everyone became a believer in him or changed their ways; he was rejected by many witnesses to his works. Satan rules where God is rejected, and this poor kid is an example of that. He chose his path, which put him on the receiving end of an acute lead injection. He had no apologies for robbing someone, we should have no apologies for defending ourselves.
Shutup.
Go Jesse.
Police said that the two men exchanged gunfire before Phillips fled into a getaway car nearby. (the article fails to mention if the punk had a legal concealed pistol license)
Phillips cause of death was “gunshot wounds of the chest,” per the Cook County medical examiner’s report. (shots center mass, the real definition of gun control…being able to hit your target)
He was 16 and not even legally allowed to own a firearm…
Democratic Party policies going back to the 60’s/ Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty” are responsible for the chronic fatherlessness in poor black families, dependence on handouts, and neutering (in having sense of place, in law abiding productive society) of poor black men in this country. And that is what leads young men like this would-be armed robber to their sad ends. And, quite possibly he fathered another or two who will grow up as hopeless of real prospects. And as angry.
Yet the Dems call conservatives “racists!”
That po boy. Good riddance!
Good Work!
Unfortunately, this 24 yr. old will live with the knowledge he killed a 16 yr. old. Regardless of one being a bottom feeder and the other protecting himself. Hopefully the 24 yr. old can reconcile with himself.
He can, and should, hold his head high, proud that he eliminated a consciously-willing predator of humans from society.
Whether this predator was in the form of a 16 year old homo sapiens, or an eight year old grizzly, does not matter one bit. Actually, I’d mourn for the grizzly – he didn’t have the capacity to choose his behavior.
Kurt W. nailed it! The predator metaphor is spot on! I hope the 24 yr. old, in reflecting on this incident in years to come, will be reassured by the fact that it is HE who is still drawing breath instead of the knuckle-dragging slug who was threatening to take his life. To say as another said above – that the 16 yr. old predator may not have known right from wrong – is pure B.S. To assume that is to attempt to justify actions of anarchy in our youth. It is OBVIOUS he knew right from wrong: the 16 yr. old was using a gun in an attempt to force his will on another, knowing that his illegal action would be resisted.
I am tired of ‘feel good’, Politically Correct thoughts like that interfering with the understanding of Natural Law and Common Sense. Professor John R. Lott, Jr. of the University of Chicago School of Law proved it in his exhaustive study of the effects of the presence of guns on crime, and he changed the title of the book he was writing to reflect that fact: “More Guns – Less Crime”. He used the FBI’s own crime statistics from every county in the United States (for a period now of over 25 years with the third printing of his book) to show among other things that especially women are safer as a class of people even if they DO NOT carry a concealed weapon … because rapists, thieves and killers don’t know who is and who isn’t!
This type of story just reinforces the dictum “When seconds count, the police are just minutes away.”
Good one – but unfortunately it’s true. Criminals know this too. I just hope and pray this 24 year old young man is able to cope with all this in the long run and he doesn’t allow it to destroy his life. It’s really a shame some lowlife dirtbag forced him to have to protect himself but at least there’s one less thug out on the streets terrorizing law abiding citizens.
The author mentions the 16 hours of training required for a CHL in IL being the most demanding in the country, but perhaps that required training just saved this guy’s life? I’ve seen countless people who have never touched a gun in their life get their CHL, and then never think any more about it, let alone practice or train with it.
Really? You’ve seen “countless” people? Could you narrow that down a bit (1, 10, 100, 1000, …..?).
Very nice parry and thrust. Thank you.
I can count to a thousand.
I have an Illinois concealed carry license. The training is a joke designed to cater to the slowest buffalo in the herd. If you sign up for the class with zero firearm experience, you will obviously be better off than when you started. If, on the other hand, you’re well versed in handling weapons, you’ll find the training to be a joke and a waste of time. The course had way too input from bureaucrats and lawyers to be useful.
I also have the IL CCL, but the waste of time depends where you sign in for your 16 hrs training. 16 hour just gives the fundamentals to handle a firearm safely. There are traing pros that utilize this time to the maximum, and others that just waste it. Like sny service we are responsible to check credentials and feedback from previous trainers. Now 16 hrs is not enoght to prepare you for the eventually like this case. That preparation requires considerable training, physical and mind, which amount vary from individuals. And agree that treads can come from the less expected targets like the 16 year old teenage, professional look individual, senior, handicap, or you name it. It can be from a simpler bulgar or experience international terrorist. Wherever is the source, the key is total awarness or our surroundings to best utilize our weapon as self defense tool.
My son-in-law took it in the Decatur area and they had intense training with their guns, firing 500 rounds each. The one taught near me at the VFW involves minimal shooting. I would advise folks to check out the course beforehand because they are not all the same. Chicago sucks regardless what course you take.
The “training” requirement is nothing more than an expensive bureaucratic obstacle to exercising our fundamental God given rights. So what is the cost that amounts to a poll tax? Going rate is $300 and two days (16 hours) with a state mandated curriculum that starts with: this is the barrel, this is the trigger, this is the … you get the idea. $300 is for the training, then the license application fee is more.
It doesn’t matter than I am over 50, have spent 40+ years shooting, have formally competed at the National Matches at Camp Perry for 15+ years, have attended the US Army Marksmanship Unit’s Small Arms Firing School, have fired 10’s of thousands of recorded rounds in formal competition, and hundreds of thousands informally, that I am a CMP certified Master Rifle Instructor; none of that is sufficient qualification for an IL CCW license without spending $300 for the training, and 16 hours listening to useless information MANDATED by the state.
This is an outrage for which the gun rights community should actually be horse whipped. With the court ruling, we would have had constitutional carry if they had not passed the CCW bill, so we had ALL of the cards, yet we chose to accept this atrocity. We could have had whatever we wanted, period, but we chose to negotiate with our enemies, those same people who had shackled us for generations with NO negotiation on their part. We are truly our own worst enemies!
What other basic right does one have to have training, fees, waiting periods, etc.? How loud would the howling and shrieking be if one had to have expensive training and licensing to go to church, read a book, print a newspaper, or God forbid, exercise a non-existent right like having an abortion without a waiting period.
So that is life in the People’s Republic of Illinois.
This is going to become more common as the police forces in this country pull back from the active policing that was practiced before the Obama Administration took over and neutered the police. It will unfortunately fall back on legally armed citizens to be the ones to stop these criminals. The good news (if there is any) is that there will be fewer of these thugs getting to prison.
i’m lucky to be born and still live in Mississippi, and as we have 2nd carry right as do other states, i have seen how much this has drove crime down, something the left can’t stand, but it’s funny, none of the lefties are ever in the situation to need help ? maybe it’ has something to do with them being part of the problem ?
How do you get get a carry permit in the Peoples Republic of IL. I thought they were about as easy to obtain as a hen’s tooth.
Its actually not that difficult. You must attend a concealed carry class offered by an Illinois certified instructor that must be at the minimum 16 hours in length and uses an Illinois State Police approved curriculum. After completing the class that you pay for, then you send your fingerprints (that you have to pay someone else to take) to the state police and you also pay them your license fee. Then you sit back and wait for them to check your prints and run a background check before they issue the CCL.
And they give you a new F.O.I.D. card at the same time, so if you do not yet have the F.O.I.D. card, just get the CCW.
Will, you are mostly correct, however, I believe that the finger printing requirement has been waived if one is willing to endure some additional delay. At this point, after having waited ?? years, why spend the extra $50 if not needed?
Finger printing is probably a moot point for many people, given that it is required for more and more things, probably down to being a dog catcher. The feds have had mine for many years. Oh for the days when such treatment was reserved for criminals.
Fingerprint records can also help EXCLUDE you from a suspect pool as well…just sayin’…
If we had a DNA record there would be a lot less “unknown” corpses out there…but might also lead to other concerns.
Just like the internet was originally designed to share scientific data…but there is plenty of porn and crime on it as well…
Bad with the good scenarios exist in many places.
When will these lowlifes realize that many of the citizens of america are armed and trained to deal with such crimes against ones person …..take this as yet another warning and boohoo to the family and friends of this bottom feeding maggot ….he wasn’t the first and certainly won’t be the last to die of his own actions.
I hope they don’t catch on. When they do, they’ll start shooting first.
“…the concealed carry permit holder has not been charged for the shooting. Though, that may change pending the results of the investigation.”
Translation: The (anti-2nd Amendment) Prosecutor’s Office will gin up some other charge(s) as a means to confiscate the victim’s CCH Permit.
This gent survived the shooting but may not be totally safe from prosecution. All the banks in Illinois that I have noticed are restricted areas for CC which is indicated by a red circle with a red ban symbol running over the image of a black pistol. Did the intended victim enter the bank with his firearm? Was his image caught on bank cameras before the shooting? Was the shooting caught in the parking lot? Did the “suspect” allow his intended victim to gain access to a pistol before the shooting that was not his possession while in the bank? Hopefully he is not brought up on charges.
Kane, not all banks are restricted areas, nor are they posted as such. Many ATMs are also outside of the bank building.
In fact, acts that result in having cash are excellent reasons to carry, because this is precisely what someone looking to rob you is after.
“kb31416”, as I said all the banks in Illinois that I have noticed prohibit CC. I grew up in this area and know it well. If you know of banks in this area on Illinois that do not post the firearm ban then list those banks so I can move my accounts. I have accounts in in 5 different Banks and most of those banks for some reason have closed the drive through tellers but may still have ATM’s. If he was at an ATM that would have been important information to include. Thanks for the explanation of how cash is the motive of many armed robberies.
And his pistol
The teenager was an armed thug. He got what he deserved.
It is a shame, this young man’s life was ended so early. However, when you put yourself in the situation, he put himself in, then he has to be responsible for whatever action takes place! Unfortunatley, this young man lost his life!
Play dumb games, win dumb prizes!
\”Unfortunate\”? Are you kidding me? I\’d say from the standpoint of society, we\’re very fortunate to have one less juvenile criminal parasite to coddle. If you feel so strongly that this was a \”shame this young man\’s life was ended so early\”, I\’d encourage you to adopt an inner-city juvenile predator such as this punk and bring him into your home – then we\’ll see how long it takes your attitude to change.
I’d rather adopt the juvenile than constantly read through your agonizing… annoying… backslashes!
Bison1913 –
The annoying backslashes are unintentional, only show up when I use an apostrophe or quote mark, and don’t appear on my iPad when I’m typing my post… only after it’s posted. If that explanation isn’t good enough for you, I suggest you contact the site administrator. In the future, if you want to criticize me or my posts, at least have the guts and intellectual honesty to do it because of what I’ve written, not over punctuation inserted by software over which I have no control.
I’m sorry JT… No control, then you should not use the aforementioned device to post… especially if you do not have control of the texting appearance. As I previously posted, it is agonizing and annoying.
Hopefully the citizen doesn’t get charged, after all it is Cook County. One other thing, are they sure that the cause of death wasn’t the fact that the perp was dropped off at Stroger?
sad when someone so young and misguided gets killed…but good on this man for protecting himself! Score one for the good guys!
GOOD! One less thug punk on the street. Be warned criminals, young or old, we citizens are armed and we will put you down….permanently
Hopefully he was removed from the gene pool before he could reproduce, but at 16 its questionable.