19-Year-Old Suspect Denied Bail in Chicago Schoolyard Shooting
The teen and two other suspects, ages 16 and 17, have been charged with 4 felonies in the June 16 shooting.
According to Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Andrew Yassan, a witness identified Hudson as the front seat passenger after their home security camera captured video of the shooting.
A man and two juveniles have been charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery in a Chicago schoolyard shooting.
Raekwon Hudson and his co-defendants have been denied bail as they are a danger to society, ruled the presiding judge.
At the time of the shooting, the students of Warren Elementary School in the Pine Hill neighborhood of Chicago were enjoying a picnic, celebrating the end of the school year.
Several students who had been banned for disciplinary reasons were trying to gain access to the picnic and were subsequently removed by security officers. As they were standing on a nearby corner after their removal, the suspects approached in a black Jeep, firing at them. The intended targets retreated into the picnic, where the suspects continued to shoot, according to the Chicago Sun Times.
Two students, 7-year-old JayLa Wright and 13-year-old Dakayla Hart, were shot. Wright was hit in the leg, Hart in the hand. The girls were rushed to Comer Children’s Hospital and are said to be in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
The car the suspects were arrested in was reportedly stolen, leaving them with an additional misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass to vehicles.
Hudson’s attorney claims that he was not in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, reports CBS Local. Conversely, detectives on the case say Hudson had the key to the stolen Jeep on his person.
“This makes me sick that kids are having an end-of-the-year picnic, and they have to get shot at,” Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said in a press conference.
According to the Chicago police, in 2016, there were over 4,300 people shot in the city, 760 of them fatally. Police also say that although numbers are down for 2017, the first three months of the year rank as one of the deadliest starts to a year in almost 20 years.
“We face historic challenges including repeat offenders who use guns to solve petty issues. Make no mistake that CPD is using every tool in its arsenal to ensure the safety of Chicagoans,” says Johnson.
The suspects are due back in court on Monday.
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About the Author
Amy Rock, Executive Editor
Amy is Campus Safety’s Executive Editor. Prior to joining the editorial team in 2017, she worked in both events and digital marketing.
Amy has many close relatives and friends who are teachers, motivating her to learn and share as much as she can about campus security. She has a minor in education and has worked with children in several capacities, further deepening her passion for keeping students safe.
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