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Davaris Washington faces four felony counts, including unlawful use of an automatic weapon and possession of a firearm by a repeat felon, after a 1-year-old girl sitting in a car seat was critically wounded inside a Marquette Park residence.
A 38-year-old repeat offender is facing multiple severe firearm charges after a 1-year-old girl was critically wounded inside a Southwest Side apartment early Saturday morning.
First responders with the Chicago Fire Department rushed to a residence in the 6400 block of South Mozart Street in Marquette Park just after midnight on September 26, 2026.
Upon entering the home, paramedics found the 1-year-old girl suffering from a critical gunshot wound to the head.
According to a law enforcement source cited by CBS News Chicago, the toddler was sitting inside a car seat in the living room when a handgun discharged inside the apartment.
Emergency medical crews immediately transported the child to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she remains in critical condition fighting for her life.
Chicago Police Department officers responding to the emergency call descended on the scene in the 8th Police District at approximately 12:15 a.m.
Officers secured the residence, recovered a firearm from inside the apartment, and took 38-year-old Davaris Washington into custody.
Cook County prosecutors formally charged Washington with one felony count of Reckless Discharge of a Firearm Endangering Safety and one felony count of Reckless Conduct Causing Great Bodily Harm.
Due to the type of weapon recovered at the scene and his prior criminal background, prosecutors added felony charges for Unlawful Use of a Weapon involving a Machine Gun or Automatic Weapon and Possession of a Firearm as a Repeat Felon.
Official law enforcement records list Washington’s primary residence in the 7900 block of South Langley Avenue.
Public booking records indicate an extensive arrest history across Chicago over the past decade.
Most recently, 5th District officers arrested Washington in April 2024 on charges including fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, reckless driving, and cannabis possession.
CPD officers previously took Washington into custody in November 2023 on West Division Street for criminal trespass to a vehicle and cannabis possession.
In August 2022, officers arrested Washington on South Side traffic and weapons charges, including Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
His prior record also includes a November 2017 arrest involving three felony counts of manufacture and delivery of cocaine near a school or public park, alongside several prior arrests for driving on a suspended or revoked license.
Washington is scheduled for a formal detention hearing on Monday, September 28, 2026, at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse located at 2600 South California Avenue.
Area One detectives continue to lead the ongoing shooting investigation.
