Sen. Preston Calls for Accountability After Assault Near South Side Elementary School (Chicago, IL) – Illinois State Sen. Willie Preston on Tuesday met with parents, Chicago police, and school administrators after a pregnant woman and her young son were attacked by a group of youths near Orville T. Bright Elementary School on the South Side — an incident captured in widely shared video that has sparked outrage and alarm in the community.
The emergency meeting, called in response to the assault, brought dozens of parents to the school, many of whom said the violence was the culmination of ongoing safety concerns. Preston addressed the crowd outside the school, emphasizing both accountability and the need for community responsibility.
Parents told him that some students had been afraid in the days leading up to the attack. Preston said those fears underscored the need for action beyond policy discussions.
“We can write all the laws and policies we want to prevent bullying and violence, but we have to look at ourselves as parents and as a community after a moment like this,” he said.
The senator said he was praying for both the victims and the attackers, stressing that while the young people involved should face consequences, their lives “don’t have to end after this.”
“But they need to be held accountable,” he added. “And so, too, do their parents and any officials who didn’t do their job here.”
The video of the assault quickly spread on social media, drawing national attention. Preston warned that the footage could be used to unfairly malign the South Side and urged residents to respond by working together to address violence.
“The video has already gone around the world and will be used by those who wish us ill to tell a story about our South Side community,” he said. “It’s time for us to change the story and take action to stop violence.”
Chicago police continue to investigate the incident. School officials did not immediately provide additional details.
Sen. Preston Calls for Accountability After Assault Near South Side Elementary School
