It was in the parking lot of Walmart in Lansing where Tymeka Woods said her 19-year-old son was carjacked early Sunday morning.
"We’re thankful that, you know, this person didn’t take his life," Woods said.
Woods' son works the overnight shift at Walmart on Torrance Avenue. Woods told NBC 5 he was sitting in his car on his break when someone started tapping on his window.
"He was surprised by a tap on the window, looked over, and saw that it was a gentleman with a gun."
Woods said her son thought about driving off. He tried to roll up the window and even put the car in reverse, but the man pointed the gun at his temple.
"He told him, 'If you ... try to pull off, I’m going to kill you.' He said, 'Do you want to die? I will kill you,'" she said. "[Woods' son] said he looked over and he could see that the guy had his finger on the trigger and that’s what made him get out the car."
The suspect got away with Woods' son’s car, wallet and phone. Lansing police told NBC 5 the suspect was captured on surveillance video from nearby businesses. Woods said her son worked hard for his 2014 Nissan Altima and only had the car for about four days when it was stolen.
Local
"I told my son we can get the possessions back," she said. "I can’t get another you."
Woods was able to track her son's stolen car through his iPhone. The car with Illinois plate CE61789 was last seen on the Bishop Ford Expressway.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
"I really have no words because our city has literally become survival of the fittest and it’s becoming harder and harder to protect our children," she said. "It’s not just the city, because, like I said, he was in the suburbs. It’s everywhere."
What happened was traumatizing for her son and brings back painful memories of losing his oldest brother, Michael Flournoy. The Simeon football player was shot and killed in 2014. Woods said two men charged in the murder are still waiting for their day in court.
"This is the second time in my life that somebody had harmed my child and I can’t do anything about it. It makes you feel helpless," she said. "As a parent it makes you feel you can’t protect your child."
Lansing police said they’re investigating the carjacking incident in the parking lot. Since January police have received six carjacking reports in Lansing.
