Louis Hicks, the man charged in the fatal shooting of a 46-year-old woman inside a Chicago Walgreens, has been ordered held without bond.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Hicks has a history of pretending to be a cop at the Cragin neighborhood store. He was denied bail Friday, “accused of pinning a woman down and shooting her in the face as he knelt on top of her during a violent struggle,” the publication writes.
Hicks, 33, was charged with murder, impersonating an officer and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon for the June 12 attack on Sircie Varnado, who died of a gunshot wound to the face, the Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed.
Police previously said a store manager believed Varnado was shoplifting and called Hicks instead of police.
During the shooter’s bond hearing on Friday, prosecutors said the manager thought Hicks was a police officer because he had seen him in the store numerous times with a gun and a badge, helping with security issues.
Hicks even told the staffer to text or call him if he ever needed help dealing with suspicious customers, and that’s exactly what the employee did when he thought 46-year-old Sircie was stealing items.
When the staffer approached the 5-foot-2, 100-pound Varnado and asked if she needed help, the woman reportedly became “defensive” and dropped the two dresses and the bag she was holding and attempted to leave the store. But Hicks was waiting for her near the exit, prosecutors said. Witnesses said he identified himself as a Chicago police officer.
That’s when he grabbed Varnado to stop her from leaving and wouldn’t let go. Hicks reportedly put her “in a bear hug,’’ wrestled with her, and choked her, prosecutors said.
He then “slammed her to the ground,’’ pointed his gun at her face and said: “You’re a b—-,’’ and fired once, the bullet piercing her upper lip, prosecutors said.
Hicks reportedly picked up his casing, walked out of the store and drove away.
The Chicago Tribune notes that he has a record of arrests on drug, assault and impersonating a federal employee charges. Hicks has never served as a police officer, nor does he have a valid FOID card or valid CCL license, the report states.
Hicks is due back in court July 9.
