Watch CBS News

Children Walking To School Report Being Chased By Man With Gun

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man armed with a gun attempted to abduct three children who were walking to school on the South Side on Friday, school officials said.

Children Report Being Chased By Man With Gun

The man approached a 9-year-old girl, who was walking to Chicago International Charter School 110 E. 61st St., with her two younger brothers, according to the school's superintendent, Stacy Shells.

The man, who was in a white van, chased the students down the street toward the school in the Washington Park neighborhood.

A school security guard saw the children running and let them inside, Shells said.

The incident happened around 7:10 a.m., Shells said.

The students' mother, Crystal Phillips, said when the man got out of his van "they started running. My daughter said he had a gun."

Shells said the charter school starts its day earlier than Chicago Public Schools, and that CPS safe passage workers were not yet on their assigned routes.

A similar incident reportedly happened last week.

Chicago Police were investigating but did not have additional details.

A Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman said the incident is under investigation, but officials are receiving conflicting reports about the details of the incident.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.