CHICAGO — Authorities in Chicago are currently delving into a violent assault involving a mother and her children in the vicinity of a Far South Side educational institution.
The incident took place on Monday afternoon at the intersection of 106th Street and Bensley Avenue.
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This location is just a short distance from Orville T. Bright Elementary School.
A video capturing the attack has gone viral, being shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook.
The footage reveals a 33-year-old woman being struck repeatedly, eventually collapsing to the ground, where the situation escalates in brutality.
Due to the extremely graphic nature of the video beyond this point, ABC7 Chicago has decided to freeze the footage.
ABC7 Chicago also blurred the faces of the people involved because they’re minors, and no charges have been filed.
Police say the woman and a 9-year-old boy were taken to Trinity Hospital in serious condition.
It’s not clear what led up to the attack. CPD said the woman and child had been walking in the area beforehand.
News of the attack is spreading quickly on social media. It led to a big crowd gathering outside the school Tuesday morning, demanding answers and justice.
“That’s crazy. Kids is fighting adults. Where’s the parents at? Why aren’t they being accountable for it?” Desiray Redding said.
The woman’s family was among those at Bright school Tuesday.
They allege the woman’s son had been bullied for two years. On Monday, as the woman walked her kids home after school, the teens turned on the mother.
“It’s just an outrage. We got to do better as parents, as a community and as a school. And maybe this could have been prevented if school would have helped out more, if the principal would have stepped up,” sister Dhawnaca Alexander said.
“Justice still need to be done. Something need to be done to the kids that jumped on them, some type of justice,” father Grant Hatter said.
Some parents at the school didn’t want to be identified, but affirmed a group of young people have been bullying the boy and others.
“That’s disgusting. I don’t have no words for it. My heart was hurting for her,” one person said.
After school Tuesday, there was extra security and more adults outside the building.
For their safety, the city is relocating the injured family to another home. Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the attack later Tuesday.
“Oh wow, it’s just awful. Absolutely, just gut-wrenching. It’s appalling,” Johnson said. “By far, the most difficult video that I’ve ever watched. The pain and the suffering that that family endured was quite horrific.”
The mayor continued, “That there’s accountability, but there’s also something very disturbing about children carrying out such a violent act, that there’s clearly a need for some intervention there, as well.”
City officials and Chicago Public Schools administrators were at the school all day.
“It’s horrifying, particularly for the young children to know that they’re going to have to live with that trauma for the rest of their lives,” 10th Ward Ald. Peter Chico.
“The focal point is support the family and community. We got to make sure things like this don’t happen again,” Chicago Deputy Mayor of Community Safety Garien Gatewood said.
Sources said some students will be questioned by police, but investigators are using great sensitivity as those to be questioned are kids.
Meanwhile, CPS says they are working to support the victims of the attack.
And city officials said they are helping the family find another place to live.
No one is in custody, and Area Two detectives are investigating.
CPS said in a statement, “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.”
Johnson said in a statement, “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.”
The Chicago Teachers Union said in a statement, “We’re as saddened as anyone to see parents and students suffer violence. Every family should show up to school knowing they’ll be safe, loved, and cared for and every educator and community member should be equipped with the resources to foster a beloved community.
“What has proven to effectively work to reduce violence in our communities and at schools is exactly what is missing from Bright: safe passage workers, restorative justice coordination, and after-school programming that engages young people and nurtures their interests.
“Our educators alongside community groups have been doing all they can to fill the gap caused by the $1.6 billion dollars in underfunding from the governor and IL General Assembly and to meet the needs of the students even without the budget from the district to do so. It’s clear the community needs to be invested in and have more services provided. It shows exactly why the funding for the very community safety initiatives aldermen voted against yesterday are so urgently necessary.”
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