12-Year-Old Shot In Front Of Elementary School

April 26, 2011 4:34 PM

Gresham Elementary School (Credit: CBS)

Filed under

Watch + Listen, Seen on CBS 2, News, Local, Heard on WBBM 780

Don't Miss This

Pinball, Beer & Arcade Games: Check Out Chicago's Pinball Alley

Best Mini Golf In The Chicagoland Area

Best Burgers In Chicago: Paradise Pup

UPDATED 04/26/11 8:45 p.m.

CHICAGO (WBBM/STMW) — A 12-year-old boy was shot in the back during dismissal in front of a Gresham neighborhood elementary school Tuesday afternoon on the South Side.

The argument started on Facebook, witnesses and relatives of the 12-year-old victim told the Sun-Times.

But by 2.45 p.m. Tuesday, the alleged online threats became terrifyingly real when a 14-year-old gunman brazenly opened fire outside a South Side elementary school as hundreds of children were dismissed for the day.

Witnesses dived for cover as the teen-age gunman — wearing a brown Hollister brand hoodie — shot his 12-year-old gang rival in the back with a revolver outside Cook Elementary School in the 8100 block of South Bishop, witnesses say.

“We were coming out of the front door of the school when we saw him,” student Rashaya Williamson, 13, said, “Suddenly he started shooting and everyone was screaming and running.”

The victim was in stable condition Tuesday evening at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, police said. After he was shot, he ran back towards the school “but the door was locked and he couldn’t get in,” Williamson said.

Eventually somebody let him in as he cried in agony, while the gunman ran away southbound on Bishop, several witnesses said.

Police Cmdr. Eddie Johnson said detectives had spoken with many “really good witnesses,” and had a good idea of the suspect’s identity. He bemoaned the shooter’s “total disregard for human life.”

The victim’s relatives said the shooter was a former Cook student. He had fought with the victim previously, they said.

Police could not confirm that he turned himself in Tuesday evening.

The threats the shooter made on the victim’s Facebook profile were deleted earlier Thursday, the victim’s family say, and they could not be confirmed by the Sun-Times, though the victim’s friends were already using his page to vow bloody revenge Tuesday evening.

One post on the victim’s Facebook said they would “ride back down” on the shooter and his friends.

12 Year Old Shot In Front Of Elementary School

Leroy Goldberg

“12-Year-Old Shot In Front Of Elementary School”…you see that headline you just know the next line will say ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

George Carlson

Well, it could say ON THE WEST SIDE after all. And don’t forget the south and west suburbs that increasingly “celebrate diversity”. Even liberal Evanston is getting in on the benefits of diversity.

Tyreese

Guys, it doesn’t matter where it happened, today, but rather the criminal behavior by the young black men in this city. These gangsters will kill anyone who happens to get in their way. It’s every day, day in and day out. The black community really needs to take control of their offspring.
Brenda

I agree Tyreese, a 12 year old should not have to worry about being shot by some homie gangster. Time to take control of your young homies, black moms !!!!

Concerned Parent

It is sad that innocent children are being shot all the time – southside or not. There is so much violence among our children!

ParentsAre’n'tAlwaysSo!

Why is that?

You offer the fact that today’s children are violent, and we are already quite aware of that! Many parents simply have failed in their obligation to properly rear their offspring with the values that are common sense!

NWA

Don’t even think you can try it! If you concerned yourself with the news period, instead of stories that involve shootings in minority communities, you would also be concerned about the missing Round Lake Park mom who was found dead or, the man who has been charged with the sexual assault of a five year old girl he was babysitting or, the fight at a baby’s birthday party. I think it was the baby’s first birthday and what about the ex city health department employee who murdered the immigrant taxi driver. No! You want complain about African-Americans. So, you post your B.S. opinion to show the distain you have with the African-American community. Well you know what? You also show how you were raised and how your parents and their parents were raised. Smart!

S.O.S.
Roberta Waker

I have seen a lot of parents ignore their children when they are on a cell phone or texting instead of spending time with them. They don’t know where their children are or who they are spending their time with; plus they don’t know what they are watching on tv or doing on the internet. Unless parents accept responsibility for the care of their children, shootings will be even more common than they are now. Where were the parents of the shooter and how did he get a gun?
Jack Smith

@NWA, I find your attitude, very typical. Why the hell would you mention irrelevant stories, in an effort to minimize the immense problem in the black community? I have no distain at all. I’m just tired of the reality of the statistics. You can not possibly defend that. Too many young black men choosing crime as a career.
Truth

Typical NWA attitude.

George Carlson

No, not among ALL of our children. Only among children exposed to “those who must not be named” or blamed.

BeaJae

I’m bored with these “South Side” stories. Sadly, nothing really new here. Tell me when MLK stops spinning in his grave.

T. Black

@BeaJae, Are you drunk? MLK? Old news, the south side can’t help itself, look at the population. HaHaHa !!!

Leroy Goldberg

NWA, you are embarrassed by the actions of the African-American community and rightfully so. But please direct your anger at the perpetrators of those heinous crimes and not those of us who merely read these stories and are repulsed by them. But then maybe it’s best that you release that anger here rather than on the streets where lives may be lost.
If even one life can be spared from all that anger that burns inside you we will have accomplished something.
God Bless.

LittleOldLady

@Leroy, I am familiar with Mr. NWA. He is a very angry, racist black man, with a huge chip on his shoulder. He hates the police, and anyone white. He makes excuses for the misdeeds of young black men, and recites irrelevant, current stories of non-black crimes to mask the real problem. God Bless. S.O.S.

chicagoan1234

Love the “God Bless” at the end. That’s rich.

old school

The parents hands are tied by the law, you can not whip a kid like our parents did.
Leroy Goldberg

NWA, you are embarrassed by the actions of the African-American community and rightfully so. But please direct your anger at the perpetrators of those heinous crimes and not those of us who merely read these stories and are repulsed by them. But then maybe it’s best that you release that anger here rather than on the streets where lives may be lost.
If even one life can be spared from all that anger that burns inside you we will have accomplished something.

LittleOldLady

Isn’t this a rerun?

Ms. V

It does not matter if the incident occurred on the south, west, north or east side, the fact of the matter is it happened. Gangs are a real prolblem throughout the city and suburbs. My question is where did a 14 yo get a gun? A lot of mothers have to work to support their families because the father is not present in the home. Grant it, you do have some parents that simply give up and they lost control of their children a long time ago. When are people going to realize “an idol mind is the devils workshop”. After school programs are one on the things the government want to stop, something is better than nothing to keep these kids off the streets. It is not hot yet and already these kids are acting out.
All Of Us

@HooD, Please go away, please…..
Mr. Justice

YES, Please Go Away HooDat. You are probably one of the most ignorant people on here. Let’s hope this 12 year old gets well soon and the police find the shooter and put him away for a very long time. Or perhaps the shooter will pull his gun on the police and then the police can save us taxpayers a lot of money.