WEST CHICAGO, IL — A DuPage County judge has denied pre-trial release for Imani Nickson, 23, of Aurora, after she was arrested and charged for allegedly threatening her employers with a loaded handgun during a workplace dispute that was livestreamed on Facebook.
The decision came after State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and West Chicago Police Chief Colin Fleury confirmed that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the State’s motion to hold Nickson in custody.
Nickson, of the 600 block of N. Harrison, faces two counts of Intimidation (Class 3 Felony), and two counts each of Misdemeanor Aggravated Assault and Disorderly Conduct.
According to investigators, on July 10, 2025, at approximately 11:56 a.m., West Chicago police responded to a call reporting an armed individual at Evans and Son Blacktop, located at 3N775 Powis Road. Upon arrival, officers were met by a visibly distressed female victim outside the business, who stated that Nickson was armed inside the building with another victim.
Police entered the building and recovered a loaded Glock 43x handgun from Nickson, who allegedly surrendered without incident. An investigation revealed that Nickson, upset about a pay dispute, entered the workplace, pulled out the firearm when asked to leave, and proceeded to livestream the confrontation over Facebook Live.
Authorities allege that Nickson pointed the weapon directly at the face of the female employer—who is currently pregnant—and made verbal threats to shoot the male employer. The female victim managed to escape and alert authorities.
“This type of behavior—pointing a loaded weapon at someone over a workplace issue—is not only criminal, it’s terrifying,” said State’s Attorney Berlin. “We are grateful that no one was physically harmed and commend the West Chicago Police Department for their swift action in de-escalating the situation.”
Nickson was also allegedly in possession of 9.5 grams of methamphetamine at the time of her arrest. She is charged with criminal solicitation with intent to commit murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
“This was an extremely dangerous and volatile situation,” added Chief Fleury. “Brandishing a firearm in this manner could have resulted in tragedy. We take incidents like this very seriously, and there will be zero tolerance for such conduct in our community.”
Nickson’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 4, 2025, in front of Judge Brian Telander.
As a reminder, all individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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