Chicago

3 Teens Charged With Shooting Girls, 7 and 13, at Chicago School Playground

Three people were charged Saturday in connection with the shooting of two young girls at an elementary school playground on Chicago’s South Side.

Raekwon Hudson, 18, and two juvenile males, ages 16 and 17, were each charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, all felonies, Chicago police said in a release.

They were also charged with one misdemeanor count of criminal trespass to vehicles, authorities said.

A 7-year-old girl and a 13-year-old were the unintended targets of the shooting, which occurred Friday afternoon at Joseph Warren Elementary School in the 9200 block of S. Jeffery Ave., according to police.

Chicago police Supt. Eddie Johnson said former students attempted to join the school’s end of the year picnic around 1:30 p.m., but security officers who recognized them refused to let them in.

The former students then went to the corner of E. 92nd St. and S. Chappel Ave. where they “loitered,” Johnson said.

Around 1:40 p.m., a black vehicle pulled up and someone inside opened fire, according to police.

“The individuals being shot at then ran back into the picnic area drawing that fire to the folks that were in there enjoying the picnic,” Johnson said.

Jayla Wright, 7, was shot in the thigh and 13-year-old DaKayla Hart was shot in the hand, according to family members and fire officials.

Both girls were taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.

The three suspects were taken into custody in the 8900 block of S. Phillips Ave. just minutes after the shooting, according to police, who determined that the black vehicle had been stolen.

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