Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Video shot by a witness Thursday shows the beating of a 16-year-old Chicago student who died from his injuries, and a family member says the youths who are responsible are likely to be arrested soon.

Sixteen-year-old Derrion Albert was beaten by a mob of kids during a disturbance outside a Roseland community center.  Albert, 16, of 12138 S. Normal Ave., was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

Joe Walker, Derrion's grandfather who raised him, said he was notified Saturday by police they had obtained witness-shot video of the attack that clearly shows the teen's attackers. Walker said he was told the suspects would be arrested soon.

"Derrion has never been in a fight in his life," Walker told CBS 2. "He never raised his voice. Not in 16 years have I had one day of trouble."

Walker broke down several times speaking about his grandson, proudly showing off the awards he received at Christian Fenger Academy High School for excellent attendance and being on the honor roll. Albert had recently started his junior year.

"We were crazy about him," he said. "He was the type of grandson everybody wished for."

Chicago police earlier said they were studying rooftop surveillance video. A spokesman could not confirm the contents of the witness-shot tape, portions of which aired on a Chicago television station Saturday night.

Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Monique Bond said Albert appeared to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"The student basically was walking along unprovoked and unbeknownest to him he was about to walk into this conflict," she said. "I don't think he even saw them coming."

The incident occurred at the Agape Community Center at 342 W. 111th St. Milton Massie, Director of Agape Community Center, saw the melee on surveillance tape.

"The whole incident took a span of four minutes," Massie said. "Kids were coming from the east and the west and converging in the middle of the street. Kids were also gathering in the empty lot next to the center."

Massie said he saw one child hit another in the back of the head, causing him to fall to the ground. He then saw at least three or four teens beating another.

"Kids were hopping over cars, bringing sticks. It was like a riot." Massie said.

"Once I seen him laying on the ground, I knew it wasn't just kids fighting kids," witness Tynesha Jackson said. "I seen all the weapons and everything. And like I said, Chicago Police could have stopped this. "

When police arrived, three of Massie's staff went out to rescue a boy who was getting beaten by several others. The teen was later identified as Albert. Police waited with the staff members until the ambulance arrived to transport Albert, Massie said.

Massie estimated at least three children were hurt.

T-Awannda Piper, a youth worker at Agape, also witnessed the brawl. She said the fight started with about a dozen high school students, then quickly escalated to, by her estimate, about 100, around 3 p.m. Thursday.

"They had sticks, they were fighting with their hands, they were taking off their shirts and throwing them on the ground," she said. "I saw (Albert) get hit twice with a stick."

She said Albert fell to his knees, then was hit again in the head. He was unconscious but alive when she dragged him into the building with the help of a man driving through a nearby alley who abandoned his truck to assist.

While his family did not believe Albert was involved with a gang, several people have been victims of gang violence in the far South Side neighborhood over the summer.

On Thursday morning, shots were fired outside Fenger. No one was hit, but a teenager was arrested and the incident was definitely believed gang-related, Chicago Police News Affairs Officer JoAnn Taylor said.

Taylor said police are investigating any role gangs might have played in Thursday's fatal melee.

Bond said the school district was told there is possibly a conflict between two "factions," but "it has nothing to do with the school." She also said the fight and the Thursday morning shooting outside Fenger are not believed to be related.

Those in the community said they are tired and scared of the violence.

"It's nuts. It's escalating," Massie said. "This was mob action."

Mayor Richard M. Daley released a statement Friday about the death of Derrion Albert:

"On behalf of the people of Chicago, I extend my sympathies to the family and friends of Derrion Albert, whose life was taken in an act of violence that no resident of our city should tolerate.

"The criminal activity that terrorizes many of our neighborhoods must end and so must the violence that is taking a whole generation of young people from us. We can't allow gangs and other criminals to tear our city or our neighborhoods apart.

"Once again, I ask community members to help destroy the code of silence that protects criminals. It only promotes the kind of violence that has taken this young man from us. We're all in this together. We must save our children."

Police did not have anyone in custody as of Friday morning. No one knows what triggered the incident.

Calumet Area detectives are investigating the incident as a homicide. A candlelight vigil will be held for Albert Monday afternoon outside Christian Fenger Academy High School.

 

The Associated Press and STNG Wire contributed to this report.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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