A nine-year-old boy lost his life and a 20-year-old woman sustained injuries during a violent fight in the quiet suburb of Matteson, south of Chicago.
The police, who responded to a distress call, were confronted with the grim reality of a shooting incident that occurred outside a residential home on Thursday May 25 around 6 pm.
The caller, a grandmother, informed 911 dispatchers that her grandson had been shot. The young boy succumbed to a gunshot wound to his abdomen while undergoing medical treatment at a local hospital. Police officials, speaking at a news conference, confirmed the death of the child but withheld additional specifics about the shooting incident.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified the deceased child as Omuiri Jones Brown. Denise Jones, the grieving grandmother, recounted the events leading up to the incident. Jones said that her granddaughter had engaged in a dispute with another girl at school, which then escalated.
The girl, alongside a group of friends, arrived at Jones’ residence, where a violent confrontation unfolded. It was during the argument that a teenage boy, who accompanied the group of girls, pulled out a gun, resulting in the fateful injury to Omuiri.
Describing her late grandson as an exceptional student on the honor roll, Jones also said that he had a passion for dancing. Omuiri had been living with his grandmother following his mother’s relocation to Chicago. The young boy had chosen to remain in Matteson, fearing the prevalence of violence and shootings in the city.
As the investigation into the incident continues, the community of Matteson finds itself grappling with the loss of a bright young life and extending its condolences to the grieving family.
