An Uber driver and a high school basketball player he picked up were killed in a drive-by shooting Thursday evening in the East Garfield Park neighborhood.
Jassen Cho, 38, and Damarion Johnson, 18, were driving in the 200 block of North Homan Avenue around 8:30 p.m. when someone inside a gray SUV fired at them, Chicago police said.
A Hyundai Tucson linked to the shooting was soon found blocks away, according to a police report obtained by the Sun-Times. It had been set ablaze.
Cho’s girlfriend, Jennifer Garcia, cried recounting their relationship.
“He was there for everyone, not just for me,” she said. “If you needed help, he was there.”
Police haven’t announced a motive or any arrests in the shooting.
Cho was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital at 8:54 p.m., while Johnson died at 8:57 p.m. at Stroger Hospital, both from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, which ruled their deaths homicides.
Johnson was a senior at Christ the King Jesuit College Prep in Austin, where he played basketball. In August, he announced on social media that he transferred there from Orr Academy High School.
Johnson was a team captain, played as a guard and was about to sign to play at a junior college in Wisconsin, said Troy Caldwell, head varsity coach at Christ the King.
“He was working on the final stages of that and was set for an official visit in two weeks,” Caldwell said.
Johnson was thoughtful and mature for his age, he said.
“He was grateful for our school community. He taught me some things, too: To be faithful and grateful for things that are afforded to you,” Caldwell said. “He came from humble beginnings. He really relished coming to this school. He really showed me, not just through words but his actions, about how he cared.”
“It’s just so unfortunate,” he added. “His life, with a lot of future, was cut short.”
A statement from Christ the King said the “school family is grieving this senseless loss.”
“During this incredibly difficult time, our priority is supporting our students and staff as we process this tragedy,” the school said. “Dealing with death is never easy, and it is especially challenging when it involves a young person with a promising future.”
Garcia said Cho was raised in the Albany Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side and worked as a senior financial analyst, but he had also been driving for Uber to earn extra money in recent months.
A spokesperson for Uber said the company is helping police in their investigation and “hope those responsible are brought to swift justice.”
Cho enjoyed reading and working out, Garcia said, noting they liked to stay active. Cho had been teaching her pickleball, and she got him into cycling.
They were getting ready to celebrate their one-year anniversary this weekend, Garcia said.
“We were moving in together,” she added. “We set a date in July.”