Chicago

Police to Announce Charges After Acclaimed Chicago Barber Gunned Down in Front of Daughter

Mike Carney was considered one of the top barbers in the Chicago area

Police in south suburban Harvey are expected to announce charges Wednesday against a man accused in the brutal murder of a popular Chicago-area barber who was gunned down in front of his daughter.

Perry Gosa, 27, of Matteson, had been a suspect in the murder of Mike Carney, a barber whose clientele included numerous Chicago Bears players, since the shooting in late October. He is now in the custody of Harvey police and is being charged with murder in the case, authorities said. 

Police are slated to announce the charges in a Wednesday morning press conference. 

Carney, accompanied by his 5-year-old daughter, was driving his girlfriend’s car toward Harvey on Oct. 21. As he pulled into a gas station, police say Gosa walked up to the car and shot him twice in the head. Carney’s daughter was unharmed. Gosa fled the scene, police said.

Possibly fearing for the life of his daughter, police said a wounded Carney was able to drive the car to the 14900 block of Cooper Avenue. It was there where Harvey police found them. Carney was pronounced dead upon his arrival by ambulance to Christ Hospital.

After a review of the scene and talking to several witnesses, it was discovered Gosa is the ex-boyfriend of Carney’s girlfriend, police said.

Carney was a lifelong member of the Sweet Holy Spirit Church of Chicago where Bishop Larry D. Trotter was his pastor, according to police. His family has been upstanding members of the church dating back four decades, police said.

Carney was considered one of the top barbers in the Chicago area. His more popular clients included Chicago Bears players Khalil Mack and Prince Amukamara, police said.

"Harvey Police Chief Gregory Thomas will outlined [sic] in full detail the rationale behind Carney’s homicide, which includes the aggressive jealousy of Carney’s girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend, Perry Gosa," authorities said in a release Wednesday. 

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