Chicago Woman Charged in Shooting of Teen at Pullman Back-to-School Event

On Aug. 24, 2024, during a crowded back-to-school event at the track facility in Gately Park, 10201 S. Cottage Grove Ave., a 15-year-old boy and his group were bumped in line, sparking a confrontation with an unknown woman. The teen intervened, leading to a brief fight broken up by bystanders, according to Cook County prosecutors. Minutes later, in the parking lot, the boy approached a white Chevy Tahoe where the woman and Darnisha Jones, 31, of the Ashburn neighborhood, were inside; he swung his arm through the open window after she gestured provocatively.

Jones, seated in the vehicle, pulled a handgun and fired once, striking the boy in the abdomen and spine around 4:15 p.m., police said. He was rushed to Comer Children's Hospital in critical condition and now requires a wheelchair. Body camera footage from officers on scene captured the shooting and the Tahoe's license plate, registered to Jones, aiding the investigation.

Despite the boy's mother identifying Jones as the shooter the next day, Jones evaded capture for nearly two years. Detectives impounded her vehicle after she inquired about it, but she stopped responding. The Chicago Police Department Fugitive Apprehension Unit arrested her Monday near 111th Street and Langley Avenue.

Jones faces one count of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm discharge, and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. At her initial court appearance Wednesday, a judge ordered her detained; her next hearing is May 5. The Pullman shooting underscores persistent gun violence concerns in Chicago's South Side communities hosting family events.