A young mom who was shot six times during an alleged road rage incident on Interstate 57 earlier this summer wants to know why the person who fired the gun remains free.
Even simple tasks like walking are now painful for Aaliyah Ivory, who was shot six times after being involved in an incident with another driver on the highway near Vollmer Road on July 16.
“I feel like my life is just at a stand-still,” said Ivory. “I feel like have every right to be pissed off."
Ivory is back at her Park Forest home after spending almost a month in the hospital, undergoing five surgeries and with bullet fragments still in her body.
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“I had just got off work and hopped on the expressway and at the time there was construction – it was kinda tight,” she said. “I was driving – he came and tried to block me off. When the first two shots rang out …those are the only two I remember. He shot me six times, like a dog.”
Ivory said she has a concealed carry permit, but family members say she never touched her weapon during the altercation.
Now, two months later, no charges have been filed in the case, and Ivory and her attorney want to know why the man hasn’t been arrested and charged.
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“We have tried to FOIA a bunch of information regarding the identity of person who shot her and we have hit a brick wall,” said Gregory Kulis. “I don’t know if person has clout. There are rumors that they are law enforcement.”
In accordance with state law, Illinois State Police have declined to name the other individual in the case.
Earlier this year, Ivory’s sister Ashlee Johnson told NBC 5 that the other driver “started calling her names and calling her racial slurs” during the confrontation, which started over a disagreement while the two vehicles were attempting to merge into a single lane due to road construction.
Illinois State Police said that the other individual in the case has cooperated with the investigation. In a statement, the department told NBC 5:
"The investigation remains active and ongoing. In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, no information is available at this time."
The Cook County State’s Attorney Office also sent NBC 5 a statement:
"The CCSAO is committed to working with our law enforcement partners as we strive to increase safety in our communities. We have not been contacted by police to review any information for criminal charges related to this incident. As with all cases, when information is presented to us, we will review it to determine if criminal charges are appropriate - based on the facts, evidence, and the law."
Aaliyah Ivory recently started out-patient rehab at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab. She attends sessions three times a week, and her family has also started a GoFundMe to help with her medical expenses.
“By the grace of God, I am still here,” she said.
