Cook County State Attorney’s Office Drops Charges Against Mother and Son Involved in Chicago Restaurant Shooting

The Cook County State Attorney’s Office has decided to drop all charges against a mother and son who shot a man who violently assaulted her.

The announcement came on Monday after Carlisha Hood and her 14-year-old son turned themselves in to face murder charges last week. In a now-viral video, Hood was punched several times by 32-year-old Jeremy Brown inside the Maxwell Street Express as the two waited in line for their food. Brown can be seen visibly angered with Hood, as she remained relatively calm while speaking with him. However, a verbal argument of some sort inside the establishment set him off and led him to hit Hood as several people watched. Hood reportedly texted her son, who was waiting in the car, to come into the eatery to bring her weapon. The teen shot Brown in the back before following him outside and shooting at him again.

Hood ordered her son also to shoot Brown’s girlfriend, who instigated him to assault Hood inside the restaurant. The mother tried to wrestle the gun away from the teen before the two fled. Brown’s girlfriend was not injured. In addition to murder, Hood was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She was initially held on a $3 million bond, while the unidentified young man was charged as a juvenile and given no bond. However, the State Attorney says that due to “emerging evidence,” they have decided not to move forward with charging the pair.

“Based upon the facts, evidence, and the law, we are unable to meet our burden of proof in the prosecution of these cases,” the office confirmed in a statement.

Activists and social media users expressed outrage after the mother and son were charged, citing Hood having been brutally beaten inside the restaurant, which led to the killing. Neither had a criminal history, and Hood had a concealed carry permit and a valid firearm owner’s identification car.