Lincoln Park shooting suspect called 911, but to evade police, prosecutors say

A 25-year-old woman charged with murder and attempted robbery with a firearm will remain behind bars until her trial, a judge ordered Friday.

Josalyn Fowler is accused of fatally shooting 28-year-old Kevin Patel outside of his residence in Lincoln Park last Wednesday.

Neighbors desperately tried to save Patel, who was shot once in the chest on Lill Avenue near Halsted Street during what prosecutors said was an attempted robbery.

They claim Fowler, who was dressed in black, approached Patel from behind along with a co-offender and tried to take his backpack. A struggle ensued, at which point prosecutors claim Fowler pulled out a gun and shot Patel.

Patel, who has been described by family as kind and intelligent with a bright future ahead, later died at the hospital.

According to police, Patel had no connection to Fowler nor her co-offender, who has not yet been charged in connection to the shooting.

In court Friday prosecutors claimed Fowler called 911 after the shooting, but in an effort to evade police.

"A female voice stated that someone had just been shot on Lill and Halsted and that the offender ran west, which it should be noted is the opposite direction the defendant actually fled," said Assistant Cook County State's Attorney, Mike Pekara.

Prosecutors claim cell phone tower data links the phone call to Fowler's phone, which was also at the scene of the crime.

Fowler and her male co-offender, who prosecutors said identified her as the shooter, were spotted on neighborhood surveillance and on surveillance at both the Fullerton and State & Lake Red Line stations.

The two fled the scene and headed south after the shooting, police said.

"Detectives ran the images of the defendant from the Red Line through facial recognition software, which compared her image to photos from various databases," Pekara said, speaking about Fowler.

Fowler was also positively identified by former schoolmates who spoke with police.

Prosecutors said when Fowler was arrested April 22 in Thornton, Illinois, they found a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun that matched the single shell casing found at the scene.

The shooting shocked neighbors in the area, and prompted 43rd Ward Ald. Timmy Knudson to call for increased patrols in the area.

Following Fowler's arrest Wednesday, Knudson released a statement that reads in part:

"Today signifies the first, but crucial step towards that and I vow to work directly with the Cook County State's Attorney, Eileen O’Neil Burke, to ensure that this is accomplished.  

My number one priority has always been keeping our community safe and obtaining the resources necessary to do so. This incident comes at a moment where our community has experienced gradual decreases in crime over the past few years - and is proof of the aggressive work we need to continue to do as a city and state to get guns off of the streets and to prosecute offenders. My promise is to continue that work, pushing City Hall for the resources we need and supporting our Chicago Police Department."

NBC 5 has reached out to the Patel family for a comment.

Fowler is due back in court May 14.