OAK BROOK, Ill. () — A DuPage County judge on Tuesday denied pretrial release to a woman accused of helping plan an attempted armed robbery at Oakbrook Center, a confrontation that ended when the alleged gunman was fatally shot.
Chance Jamerson, charged with three counts of attempted armed robbery, will remain jailed as the case moves forward.
Prosecutors say Jamerson collaborated with Justin Hill in an attempted robbery staged Sept. 30 in the mall parking lot. According to the state’s account, Jamerson was in a Mercedes with three other people after obtaining several Swatch watches when Hill pulled up in a Nissan, blocked the vehicle and approached while armed.
Authorities said Hill declared that he was robbing the group, triggering a physical struggle.
“The driver of the Mercedes began wrestling with Hill over the gun,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in court. “While he was wrestling, the defendant in this case, Chance Jamerson, began to fight the driver. This is what made the driver of the Mercedes believe that Chance had set him up.”
Prosecutors said the Mercedes driver then shot Hill, killing him, and wounded Jamerson in the abdomen.
Berlin said investigators concluded the shooting was legally justified. The driver and the two other people who were at the scene will not face criminal charges, authorities said.
“The investigation determined that the driver of the Mercedes shot Chance Jamerson in the abdomen and shot and killed Justin Hill to prevent the commission of a forcible felony,” Berlin said. “As a result, there will be no charges against the driver of the Mercedes for shooting the defendant and shooting and killing Justin Hill.”
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Jamerson’s lawyer disputed the prosecution’s version of events.
“My client’s understanding is that Mr. Hill is the one responsible for the armed robbery,” defense attorney Gus Gustopolous said. “The state doesn’t have all the evidence and didn’t fully characterize how everything happened, so she’s looking forward to trial.”
Prosecutors said information recovered from Jamerson’s phone indicates she communicated with Hill before the incident and allegedly instructed him about when to arrive and what actions to take.
Oak Brook police said the incident has also prompted changes at the mall’s Swatch store.
“We’ve had some problems related to special-release Swatch watches at that location,” Oak Brook Police Chief Brian Strockis said. “I do want to say that will no longer occur at that Swatch location.”
Police characterized the shooting as an isolated incident that was planned in advance and said they remain confident in the safety of Oakbrook Center.
Jamerson is due back in court Oct. 23.
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