Chicago, Ill – The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was shot and critically wounded by Chicago police has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that police shot her son in the back while was running away.
Cierra Corbitt filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court Thursday against the city and the unidentified police officer who shot her son.
“I’m just concerned about my child. He may not walk again,” she said. “He laying up there, he cry all the time cause he just wishes he would have stayed in the house that day.”
According to police, the shooting occurred as they were trying to stop a stolen vehicle wanted in connection with a carjacking from a neighboring suburb. As they tried to stop the vehicle, police say the 13-year-old got out of the car and fled as officers pursued him on foot.
Witnesses say the teen was unarmed, running from police with his hands up when he was shot.
“He was instructed to stop and put his hands up,” said Steven Hart, who is also representing the Corbitt family. “He stopped and put his hands up, and that wasn’t good enough because then he received a bullet to his back.”
The boy is still recovering at Stroger Hospital with a major spinal cord injury and gunshot wound. His mother and her attorneys have been in touch with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability and they plan to view video of this shooting next week.
The unidentified police officer who shot the boy has been placed on 30 days’ administrative duty as an investigation into the incident is underway.
