A 29-year-old Harvey man, Graylin Waters, has been charged with the shooting of Willow James, an 11-year-old girl, as reported by The Chicago Sun-Times. The incident occurred while she was traveling home from school with her father and cousin on May 28. Struck in the head by a stray bullet, the young girl was severely injured.
Charges against Waters include aggravated battery with a firearm, a class X felony. During an in-depth investigation, authorities apprehended Waters, and upon the search of his vehicle, they located a gun believed to be connected to the crime. As per the information released by the police and obtained by ABC 7 Chicago, the bullet that hit Willow was inadvertently fired by Waters near 158th Street and Paulina Avenue in Harvey. The intended target of the firing remains undisclosed by the police.
Currently, Willow faces a battle to recover from the aftermath of the attack, which left her paralyzed. Sustaining a fractured skull and severe trauma, her ability to walk, speak, and process emotions has been significantly challenged. She is now undergoing intensive physical therapy at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Highlighting her condition, her parents shared, according to The Chicago Sun-Times, "She lit up every room — and every field, court, and stage she walked onto. Her spirit is still there, fighting hard every day through therapy. We believe in her strength more than ever."
In response to the incident that has greatly distressed the Harvey community, Police Chief Cameron Biddings stated, "From day one, our detectives worked tirelessly to identify and apprehend the suspect." He continued, as he mentioned in a statement reported by The Chicago Sun-Times, "With the help of our community, we've taken a dangerous individual off the streets and recovered what we believe to be the weapon used." Mayor Christopher J. Clark also expressed his distress, referring to the incident as Willow being "caught in the crossfire of senseless violence" and emphasizing that the path to healing extends much farther than the court of law.
As the legal proceedings continue, with Waters scheduled to appear in court again on Tuesday, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up in support of Willow and her ongoing recovery journey.
