Two men charged with carjacking Beverly family caught on video

Authorities have charged two South Deering men in connection with a Nov. 2 carjacking that rocked the Beverly neighborhood.

Chicago police said Damarri Conner, 20, and Kenneth Merritt, 26, were the men who took a car and personal belongings at gunpoint from a mother and daughter on the 9300 block of South Pleasant Avenue on Nov. 2.

Conner faces one charge of aggravated vehicular hijacking, two counts of armed robbery and three misdemeanor counts of resisting police officers.

Merritt faces one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking and two counts of armed robbery.

Police said the mother and daughter had been getting out of their car when two men approached them, produced guns, pushed the woman to the ground, took her keys and drove away in the car. Neither of the victims was injured, police said.

The family’s second vehicle was stolen early Tuesday morning, Ald. Matt O’Shea, 19th, confirmed Tuesday night. Police recovered the vehicle shortly afterward on the 9700 block of South Merrill Avenue.

Conner and Merritt were arrested on the 9700 block of South Merrion Avenue and the 8000 block of Cottage Grove Avenue, respectively, according to police.

A department spokesperson said Conner and Merritt currently only face charges in the Nov. 2 theft.

O’Shea commended the police department’s carjacking task force for their work on the case and said 19th Ward residents were ready to support the victims as the legal process proceeds.

“My community will bring an army to every court date to support the [name] family and see that justice prevails in this case,” he said.

Both men are set to appear for a detention hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Thursday, police said.