Two men connected to a 2021 attempted carjacking in Hyde Park, which led to the death of a 73-year-old Vietnam War veteran, have entered guilty pleas and received 30-year prison sentences, the WLS reported. Dushawn Williams, now 19, and Frank Harris, now 21, were accused of assaulting Keith Cooper, who later succumbed to a heart attack induced by the attack.
Williams, a minor at the time of the crime, perpetrated the assault after he and Harris attempted to steal Cooper's SUV in broad daylight. The Cook County medical examiner's office, which has not yet issued a definitive cause of death, stated that Cooper died following the encounter. After an attempt to escape, both men were apprehended approximately a half-mile from the scene, according to the WLS.
The irony of the incident is heightened by the fact that Harris was previously involved with Good Kids Mad City, an anti-violence group in Chicago. "We, unfortunately, lost contact with Frank for the most part. We wish there were more resources out here so we could have given him more opportunities so situations like this won't happen," Kofi Ademola, an adult advisor for the group, told ABC7 Chicago. The group attempts to tackle the root causes of violence within communities, a goal that has been tragically contradicted by the actions of one of its former participants.
In a display of community solidarity, over 100 individuals gathered for a vigil in honor of Cooper organized by Good Kids Mad City, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. Members from the veteran community shared their memories of Cooper, with one veteran proclaiming, "We are one blood, one family," highlighting the sense of brotherhood that transcends blood ties. Cooper's daughter, Keimika Carlton, expressed that the community's support had been overwhelming, yet, the fact that the attackers were mere teens left her disheartened. She expressed hope that they would learn "this is not the way of life."
The cases against Williams and Harris bring attention to the recurring issues surrounding youth violence and the efficacy of intervention programs in urban settings like Chicago. Carlton's call to remember the real victims and not let the acts of a few define a city resonates with a community grappling with loss and looking for solutions. "No, I'm sorry, this is Chicago. This right here is Chicago," Carlton said, in a statement obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, rejecting the idea that such violence should be accepted as the norm.
