Chicago Family Receives Outpouring of Support After Violent Attack Caught on Video
A Chicago woman and her 9-year-old son are receiving an overwhelming wave of support from the community and prominent figures after a disturbing attack that was captured on video and quickly went viral. The incident, which occurred Monday afternoon near Orville T. Bright Elementary School in the South Deering neighborhood, has sparked outrage and a remarkable display of generosity.
The attack unfolded just after 3 p.m. on the 10600 block of South Bensley Avenue, according to police reports. A group of individuals approached 33-year-old Corshawnda Hatter and her son, allegedly striking both of them multiple times. While authorities continue their investigation, no charges have been filed as of Wednesday.
Hatter revealed the attack stemmed from ongoing bullying her son had been experiencing at school. “I can’t sleep because I wake up in the middle of the night with that vision in my head of my son calling my name to help him and I couldn’t do nothing for him,” she shared while speaking outside the school Tuesday morning. “That really hurt me the most.” The emotional toll on the family is significant, as they grapple with the trauma of the event.
The shocking nature of the assault prompted an immediate response from Chicago residents eager to offer assistance. Comedian Dyon Brooks, a native of Chicago’s West Side, stepped forward with a substantial donation of $5,000 to help the family relocate to a safer neighborhood and secure a new apartment.
“It was sad,” Brooks stated. “It was sick. I’ve never seen anything like that before.” He emphasized that the incident does not reflect the true spirit of Chicago. “Let’s come together Chicago. We’re so much better than this and the way we’re rallying around to get behind her and the family—I think it’s very admirable,” Brooks said. “I’m happy to see us coming together, but I don’t want us to have to come together for just in these types of situations—let’s come together before it even gets this far.”
Adding to the outpouring of support, Chicago rapper Lil Zay Osama, who grew up on the city’s South Side, announced his intention to provide the family with a holiday getaway to Los Angeles. “I just wanted to get the mom, the son, the daughter like bring them out to LA, Christmas shop with them, take them out to eat,” Osama explained. “You know just have conversations with them, you know what I’m saying? So they don’t feel alone. So they know they’re protected.”
Other community members are also mobilizing to help. Jaleel Anthony, founder of Bosses University, organized a donation drive after seeing the video circulating on social media. “Every year we give back to a family, I said, ‘This is a family we want to give back to this year,’” Anthony told NBC Chicago. He has partnered with Living Fresh Market in Forest Park to collect donations for the family over the next two weeks.
Anthony shared that the family expressed immense gratitude for the support, acknowledging that healing will be a long process. “The father simply said they’re just thankful for the support, but it is a process of healing and a process of just really trying to overcome what they experienced so far,” he said.
Hatter indicated her family is tentatively scheduled to move into their new apartment on Thursday, expressing her overwhelming gratitude for the community’s response. The family’s resilience in the face of adversity, coupled with the remarkable generosity of strangers, underscores the strength and compassion within the city of Chicago.
Chicago police detectives are continuing to investigate the attack, seeking to bring those responsible to justice. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing communities and the importance of addressing bullying and ensuring the safety of children.
