A Chicago mother who was the victim of a carjacking early Monday morning on the Dan Ryan Expressway says she's grateful that she and her two daughters were able to get away.
The incident happened at around 2:30 a.m. on the expressway at 35th Street. According to Chicago police, officers were pursuing a silver Nissan that was stolen in a carjacking last week in the city's Calumet Park neighborhood.
The vehicle ultimately crashed, at which point three suspects ran out, police said. Two were arrested a short time later while a third suspect carjacked the victim's black Honda Civic — with her 12- and 13-year-old daughters also inside, according to police and the victim.
The mother — who asked not to be identified out of fear for her safety — had stopped to help following the initial crash involving the Nissan.
"I looked in my mirror, and I saw a car spinning... not seeing the police that was behind them," she said. "I stopped by car and looked down to dial 911. When I looked up, the boy ran to my car... and got in the back of my car and told me to drive off. He had a gun on my back, and he was screaming 'drive off ma'am!'"
Once at Michigan Avenue and 33rd Street, the suspect kicked the driver and her two daughters out of the car.
"He could've literally killed me and my kids," she said.
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The victim said Monday she was tremendously happy since she and her kids made it out safely.
"Especially that my kids are here," she said. "That I can see my kids, and they can see me. And all three are breathing."
In another incident Monday morning, an Illinois Department of Transportation worker, who had just gotten off a shift, was carjacked near Wentworth and 35th Street, IDOT officials said.
No injuries were reported in either incident. Police have yet to confirm if the two are connected.
Meanwhile, the mother whose car was stolen offered a message to other would-be good samaritans.
"Don't stop. Keep on going," she said. "If you gotta call 911, call 911, but keep going."
