Man charged with having gun inside Cook County Jail, officials say

COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- A man who was being held at the Cook County Jail handed over a gun while he was being released this week, officials said.

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According to court documents, 18-year-old Kemari Johnson asked a probation officer if he could surrender something while he was waiting to be released. He then pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and a magazine.

Johnson now faces a felony charge for having a firearm inside a jail.

It's not clear how long he had the weapon or how he got it in the first place.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office says it's launched a criminal investigation as well as a separate administrative investigation.

No further information was immediately available.