CHICAGO, IL- Violence continues to plague the Windy City, run by Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Last month, a mother and her 9-year-old son were seriously injured after being attacked by a group of thugs in the city’s South Deering neighborhood, Fox 32 reported. Now, seven juveniles have been arrested in connection with the heinous attack.
On Nov. 17, the 33-year-old mom and her son were walking home from school shortly after 3 pm. As is typical, a group approached them and began assaulting them for no reason. A viral video posted to social media showed the attack, with several school-age punks jumping the woman and her son, stomping and kicking them. The two victims were transported to Trinity Hospital, where they were listed in serious condition.
The mom said her son had been bullied at the Orville T. Bright Elementary School for over two years, however she alleges the school administration did nothing to protect him. After the beating, a group of people gathered outside the school, chanting “No justice, no peace,” while demanding that the suspects be punished.
The woman who was attacked said her young daughter was also –present during the attack, however, was not injured.
‘I asked my kids to come to the next side of the street with me so they wouldn’t get jumped, so we kept walking,” the mom said. “They followed us all the way there, then hit my son first, dragged me in the grass, and pulled my baby’s hair. I’m trying to get justice for my son. I’m thankful to everybody that came out here to support me.”
State Sen. Willie Preston was one who protested outside the school, saying more needs to be done to address bullying in schools.
“The video was horrible,” Preston said. “The video was disgusting, and the video was a symptom of something that’s been going on for a long time. We haven’t held these kids accountable. We haven’t held these parents accountable for the violent actions that their children are doing.”
Last week, the seven suspects, three 10-year-old boys, a 10-year-old girl, an 11-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy, and a 13-year-old girl, were charged with battery causing bodily harm and were referred to counseling services and released from custody. Chicago police said the investigation is continuing.
The incident even caught the attention of a rapper, Lil Zay Osama, who was born and raised in Chicago. He offered to fly the mother and son to Los Angeles for dinner and Christmas shopping.
Fox 32 spoke to him, and he said he was “heartbroken” by the incident.
“It’s just something that shouldn’t be going on; kids should be able to go to school and be comfortable walking home from school and at school learning. Kids of that age should not be doing things like that, especially to an adult and to their peers they go to school with. That’s crazy, that shouldn’t be happening in our community; we gotta do better,” he said.
The Chicago Public Schools issued a statement after the attack:
“Chicago Public Schools (CPS) prioritizes the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families, and we are committed to building a physically and emotionally safe teaching and learning environment in every school.
“We are horrified by the attack on this family, and we are working with City departments and agencies to provide support to the victims of the attack. CPS is coordinating closely with the Mayor’s Office, CPD, CHA, and other City departments to provide additional support to the family.”
Feckless Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has advocated for defunding the police and supports no cash bail, released the following hollow statement:
“It is critical that we provide the necessary resources to our public education system so that every school community has counselors and mental health professionals. We must redouble our efforts to teach our young people that violence is never an acceptable response. Our students and families should always feel safe on their way to and from school, and we must make the critical investments necessary to make that a reality in every part of our city. I’m grateful for the community residents who have rallied to support the family, and I am calling for calm as we conduct a full investigation and ensure there is accountability for the attackers and healing for the victims.”
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