Police
Bettie Jones, mother of five and college student, gunned down by Chicago police
A 56-year-old mother of five and a 19-year-old college student suffered fatal gun shots by Chicago police.
Bettie Jones, a 56-year-old mother of five and a 19-year-old college student were fatally shot by Chicago police.
The student, Quintonio LeGrier and the woman, Bettie Jones were killed after a domestic disturbance took place on the city’s West side, Chicago Tribune reports.
Quintonio LeGrier
According to authorities, Antonio LeGrier, the father of the deceased student called 911 to report that his son was wielding a baseball bat and banging on his bedroom door.
He notified their neighbor, Jones, that the police would be arriving and that his son had a bat.
A statement released by police said that the officers were “confronted by a combative subject resulting in the discharging of the officer’s weapon, fatally wounding two individuals.”
LeGrier was reportedly shot seven times. Blood was found in the vestibule of Jones’ apartment, after at least one bullet hit two of her walls.
Bettie Jones
Jones’ 19 year old daughter found her with a gunshot wound to the neck. She was shot while opening her door, according to CBS News.
The full details of the incident have not been released by the police department. LeGrier was an engineering student at Northern Illinois University, but also suffered mental health issues.
His mother believes the situation could have been handled without resulting in his son’s death.
“He didn’t have a gun. He had a bat. One or two times would have brought him down. You call the police, you try to get help and you lose a loved one,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “What are they trained for? Just to kill? I thought that we were supposed to get service and protection. I mean, my son was an honors student. He’s here for Christmas break, and now I’ve lost him. I’m trying to be strong because I pray. But that’s my only child. And I’m hurting. I’m hurting real bad.”
This is the first use of deadly force by Chicago police since the city’s department came under fire for the death of Laquan McDonald.
Authorities have yet to clarify why the police officer’s fired their weapons.