Two 14-year-old boys were arrested late Tuesday after police say they carjacked a woman at gunpoint on Chicago’s South Side, then were tracked down roughly two hours later on the other side of town.
Officers picked up the teens at about 11:11 p.m. in the West Town neighborhood, with one arrest in the 1600 block of West Hubbard Street and the other in the 1700 block of West Kinzie Street. Police say the pair had earlier pulled a gun on a 48-year-old woman and took her vehicle in the 7500 block of South Emerald Avenue in Gresham, according to FOX 32 Chicago.
One of the boys faces three felony charges, including vehicular hijacking with a firearm, attempted armed robbery and aggravated battery involving the discharge of a firearm, according to the station. The second teen faces a felony count of vehicular hijacking, and police told the outlet that both suspects had outstanding warrants at the time of their arrests.
Carjacking trends and context
The case lands amid ongoing concern over vehicle thefts and armed hijackings in big cities, including Chicago, and a steady drumbeat of stories about very young suspects getting swept up in serious cases. Early numbers from some jurisdictions suggest carjackings and related thefts dipped in parts of 2024 compared with 2023, though totals remain above pre-pandemic levels. WGLT reviewed early 2024 figures.
What comes next for the juvenile suspects
Because the defendants are minors, the case will typically move through juvenile court rather than adult criminal court, with tight timelines that govern detention and shelter-care hearings. Illinois law limits public access to many juvenile law-enforcement records and sets out how judges decide whether a minor remains in custody. Those rules are detailed in the Illinois Juvenile Court Act, while local procedures are outlined in the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Program.
Police did not immediately release the boys’ names and said the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Chicago Police Department.
