CHICAGO – A mother and her 9-year-old son were seriously injured during an attack by a group of children that was captured in a viral video Monday afternoon in Chicago’s South Deering neighborhood.
What we know:
The 33-year-old and her son were walking home from school around 3:10 p.m. in the 10600 block of South Bensley Avenue when a group of people approached them and struck the victims several times, according to police.
Both victims were taken to Trinity Hospital where they were listed in serious condition. Police said no arrests have been made.
Mother and 9-year-old son beaten near Chicago school, community demands justice
A disturbing attack caught on video shows a Chicago mother and her 9-year-old son being beaten by a group of kids near Orville Bright Elementary School. The victims, Corshawnda and her son, were walking home when the assault happened — just blocks from the school. Outraged neighbors and leaders are calling for accountability as police investigate and CPS pledges support for the family.
Video that went viral on social media showed several school-aged children jumping the woman and the boy, punching, stomping and kicking them.
The mother said her son had been bullied at Orville T. Bright Elementary School for over two years but the administration did nothing to protect him.
Dozens of people gathered outside the elementary school Tuesday morning, chanting “No justice. No peace.” They called for the children responsible to be punished.
The woman who was attacked, Corshawnda, said her young daughter was also present to witness the vicious beating.
“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. They followed us all the way there, they hit my son first, dragged me in the grass and pulled my baby’s hair,” Corshawnda said. “I’m trying to get justice for my son. I’m thankful to everybody that came out here to support me.”
What they’re saying:
One of those at the rally outside the school was Illinois State Sen. Willie Preston (16th District). Preston said more needs to be done to address bullying.
“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.”
Rapper Lil Zay Osama, who was born and raised in Chicago, is reaching out to the family to lend his support. He posted on Instagram Tuesday offering to fly the mother and son to Los Angeles for dinner and Christmas shopping.
FOX 32 spoke with the rapper, who shared that he was heartbroken by the video and thought of his own school-aged children.
“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,” Lil Zay Osama said.
Chicago Public Schools issued this statement to FOX 32 Tuesday afternoon:
“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 collaboratively 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.
“School administrators, teachers, and support staff work with students to create an open environment where conflicts and grievances can be addressed. School leaders work with parents and all parties involved to find a resolution, adhering to the Student Code of Conduct (SCC) as they address any confirmed violations. In addition, it is always our goal for all members of our school communities, including staff, students, and parents, to work together proactively to maintain a safe and calm environment at our schools.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson released the following statement condemning the attack:
“I was deeply disturbed to see the video of young people attacking a mother and her child on the Far South Side yesterday afternoon. That type of behavior is unacceptable in our city and we must not normalize that type of senseless violence. Leaders from my office have been on the ground all day to coordinate with CPS, CPD, and CHA to respond to this incident. CPD has deployed additional resources to the area to maintain public safety, and we are working with CHA on additional measures to support the family. We have also activated support from community-based organizations that focus on youth services and violence prevention to provide safe passage for students and families at this school. I will continue to monitor this situation closely as I get updates from the ground and as the investigation unfolds.
“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.”
FOX 32 also reached out to the Chicago Teachers Union for comment and has not yet heard back.
The Source: The information in this report came from the Chicago Police Department.
South DeeringCrime and Public SafetyChicago Public SchoolsNews
