Family of 14-Year-Old Boy Shot and Killed in Chicago Calls for Justice

A 14-year-old boy named Marcus Chatman was shot and killed last Thursday night in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. He was with a group of people his family considered friends when someone shot him twice in the back. He was found in an alley and later died at the University of Chicago Medical Center. His murder happened just one week before his 15th birthday.

Marcus's mother, Ahmani Hicks, is heartbroken and angry. She said she had no idea her son was in danger that night, thinking he was simply spending the night at a friend's house. 'I figured I just talk to Marcus tomorrow, and it didn't go that way,' she said. Instead, she got a call in the middle of the night telling her to rush to the hospital. When she arrived, doctors told her Marcus was already gone.

Police are still investigating the case, but Hicks says the evidence points to the people Marcus was with that night. She says video footage shows Marcus walking ahead of the group when they shot him from behind. 'My son is walking in front of them, they're behind him. They shoot my baby twice in the back,' she said. She is now urging other teens to be very careful about who they call their friends.

Marcus had been a part of the Midwest Hawks youth football league since he was six years old. He played until he aged out of the league at 13. His stepfather is also a coach with the team, and the league has been a strong source of support for the family during this painful time. The team set up a fundraiser to help pay for funeral costs and has sent the family groceries and other supplies.

Hicks is also raising three younger sons, ages 10, 7, and 6. She says she is trying to stay strong for them even while dealing with her own grief. 'I pray that me and my boys stay strong for each other,' she said. The football community, which she calls her 'football family,' has shown up with not just donations but also love and comfort.

Hicks is waiting and hoping for an arrest before Marcus's birthday on Friday. She wants the state's attorney to call her with news that the person responsible has been caught. 'I pray the state's attorney call me and say we got this person,' she said. The Chicago Police Department has only said that the investigation is still ongoing. The Midwest Hawks plan to hold a gathering this week to honor Marcus and remember his life.