A tragic event unfolded in Chicago's Grand Crossing neighborhood, where an 8-year-old boy was fatally shot in the head and his 5-year-old brother was grazed by a bullet, as reported by CBS News Chicago. Derrick Taylor, 32, the father of the victims, has been charged with felony child endangerment and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.
According to the police arrest report, the incident occurred while Taylor was asleep in his home, located on the 1400 block of East 71st Place, when he discovered his sons after being awakened by the sound of gunshots last Thursday around 5:20 p.m. A loaded handgun was left unattended on a TV stand by Taylor, a convicted felon who is prohibited from gun ownership. During a mental health evaluation, Taylor was hospitalized after his arrest, and his next court appearance is scheduled.
A nearby postal worker, Sharralle Williams, performed life-saving CPR on young Josiah Hooker, and her quick response was heralded during the court proceedings for the case. According to a statement she provided to the Chicago Sun-Times, Williams worked an overtime shift when she encountered the unfolding crisis and sprang into action. Still, the boy succumbed to his injuries at Comer Children's Hospital.
In the aftermath, grieving family members and community supporters gathered to remember the life cut tragically short. Josiah Hooker was described by his family as a loving and curious child who loved reading and playing with his siblings. "He was just the best kid with a big heart," Josiah's father's aunt, Rennea Finley, told the Chicago Sun-Times. Amid her CPR efforts, Williams also reportedly told Derrick Taylor to assist in the resuscitation, instructing him to "breathe for the baby” as she worked on chest compressions, a desperate attempt to save young Josiah.
Derrick Taylor, who's being accused, has also been described as having a special bond with children. He is involved with community work and is known to volunteer with at-risk kids. His family defends him against the media portrayals, insisting that the gun did not belong to him and disavowing a second burglary conviction. "They're trying to paint an ugly picture of my son that is just not true," his mother, Ineather Johnson, stated in a Chicago Sun-Times interview outside the courtroom.
