Chicago police say a 64-year-old man taken into custody in Uptown on Wednesday is now charged in connection with a West Side shooting that left a 24-year-old man wounded last month. The early-morning gunfire was reported around 6:30 a.m. on March 9 near the intersection of North and Linder avenues, when the suspect allegedly walked up to the victim and shot him in the leg. The 24-year-old was taken to Loyola Hospital, where he was listed in good condition.
Arrest and charges
According to FOX 32 Chicago, officers arrested Michael Mateus on Wednesday afternoon in the Uptown neighborhood and charged him with aggravated battery involving the discharge of a firearm and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. Citing the Chicago Police Department, the outlet reports that Mateus has a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Suspect's criminal history
Court records indicate that Mateus has prior contact with the criminal courts. A 2025 Illinois Appellate Court decision upheld his residential burglary conviction stemming from an April 2023 incident and confirmed a five-year sentence, according to the Illinois Appellate Court. The opinion details trial testimony and the facts prosecutors relied on in that case, and those documents are part of the public court record. It is the kind of history a judge is likely to review closely at the upcoming detention hearing.
What comes next
According to FOX 32 Chicago, Chicago police say detectives arrested Mateus in Uptown and charged him with multiple felony counts, while prosecutors will decide whether to proceed with formal charges after the detention hearing. If the court finds probable cause and the Cook County State’s Attorney files charges, the case would move forward through the county court system. The detention hearing will also determine whether Mateus is held while awaiting trial under Illinois pretrial-release rules.
Legal context
Under the Illinois Criminal Code (720 ILCS 5), aggravated battery and offenses involving the discharge of a firearm are treated as serious felonies, with additional sentencing exposure when a gunshot proximately causes great bodily harm or death. Those statutory penalties can factor into charging decisions and, if there are convictions, into sentencing. At the detention hearing, defense counsel and the judge will weigh the defendant’s record, the alleged facts of the shooting, and public-safety concerns.
Chicago police are listed as the source for the initial report, and the investigation remains active. More information is expected to surface after court filings are made and official statements are released.
