CHICAGO – One Chicago family is on edge but grateful to be okay after an armed robbery and attempted carjacking on the city’s West Side.
“My husband’s telling them, ‘I have my kids. My wife’s in the car,’ and they’re like, ‘We don’t care. I’ll kill you in front of your kids,’” a victim told NewsNation affiliate WGN.
It’s those moments the mother of two said she can’t get out of her head. The woman, who did not want to be identified out of fear for her family’s safety, said she was with her husband, her 6-year-old son, and newborn baby when everything happened.
“They were already there. They parked inside the gas station,” she told WGN News, referring to a group of up to five men police allege were involved in the crime.
Just before 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 10, her family came face to face with the criminals as they stopped at a BP gas station near Independence and Harrison.
“The vehicle was very distinct because the tint on the vehicle was peeled, so I could see them peeking through. They’re looking at my husband,” she recalled.
The armed suspects allegedly circled the building to the side where her husband was paying. As he made it back to the car, the suspects ran up on him.
The woman said the suspects were trying to pull him from the car, even ripping his chains off his neck. They also ordered everyone inside the car to get out.
“They’re tussling. They’ve got their guns at his head,” the woman said.
The woman added her son started screaming in fear for his dad as the group continued to violently hit her husband in the head with a gun.
Her husband eventually put the car in drive, but at least one suspect fired shots at their car, hitting her husband through a partially opened door.
“One of the bullets grazed his knee,” the woman said.
According to police, the suspects drove off in a black Honda Accord with temporary plates that possibly read S842067. The family is hoping investigators are able to find the suspects so they can’t hurt anyone else.
“In the moment, I felt so helpless,” the woman said.
Both parents said their top priority was protecting their children. However, in those moments, all the woman could do was try to shield them and pray no gun went off and that her husband would be okay.
“My son is terrified for the rest of his life. That’s things you can’t get back,” the woman said.
The woman told WGN News the suspects made off with their family’s heirloom – a chain worth about $10,000 – and left damage on their vehicle. What they really took, however, was the family’s sense of security.
“It’s unacceptable, it’s sad, and I honestly hope that they catch those guys,” the woman said.
The suspects are described as males between 17-20 years of age. They stand 5’05-6 feet tall and have slim builds. They were also wearing dark clothing, hooded sweatshirts, and face masks.