The internet is in a hot debate about a recent shooting in Chicago where a mother allegedly asked her 14-year-old to gun down a man who punched her. According to Fox 59 News, the two faced murder charges however, some believe the family’s actions were in self-defense.
Carlishia Hood was at the Maxwell Street Express on South Halstead St. when she got in an argument with another customer. The man was seen on a bystander’s video threatening Hood that if she said one more thing he would “knock her out.” Hood looked off camera and said, “Get the gun,” then seconds later, the man wound up his fist and struck Hood several times. Surveillance camera footage shows Hood’s 14-year-old son appearing in the doorway, pulling a firearm from his hoodie and shooting at the man.
The boy then chased the man out the store shooting more rounds. The customer sustained three gunshot wounds to the back and was pronounced dead on the scene. Authorities say Hood texted her son instructing him to get the firearm from the car. Another surveillance video shows Hood trying to take the firearm back after the incident but the boy pushed her away. The two then got in the car and fled the scene.
Now, the internet is debating whether these two deserved the felony murder charges they were handed.
Trigger Warning: The video may disturb some viewers.
Much of the back and forth on Twitter was between the 14-year-old having a right to protect his mother and Hood deserving criminal punishment for allegedly ordering her son to execute the man.
Illinois’ self-defense laws say the use of deadly force must be in response to grave and immediate threats, illegal threats or a danger present that required the use of force of that degree. The State Attorney’s Office didn’t believe their actions fit the bill at first.
But according to WGN9 News, the Attorney’s office dropped their charges because the evidence and law were “unable to meet the burden of proof” in the prosecution. In other words, the evidence didn’t support the claim that these two were murderers.
Neither Hood nor her son had prior criminal offenses on record.