Country Club Hills, IL — A tragic gunfire incident occurred on Saturday just outside Hillcrest High School, resulting in the death of a man who had been attending his son’s basketball tournament. The attack unfolded in the school parking lot as the pair was leaving, police confirmed.
A dark-colored Infinity Q50 car approached the man while he was walking with his son. Several armed individuals stepped out of the vehicle and opened fire, fatally wounding the father.
The assailants quickly fled the scene, and the victim was rushed to a hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. His son, a minor, was not physically harmed in the attack.
Local authorities are actively investigating the incident, and Cook County officials have yet to release the name of the deceased. The aftermath of the shooting has sent shock waves through the community, highlighting ongoing concerns about safety in school environments.
Stringer Harris, a local activist involved in mentoring and educational programs about gun violence, expressed deep sorrow over the violence, noting that the incident occurred at his former high school. “It’s incredibly disheartening to witness such violence at a place where we have gathered to teach and mentor our youth,” Harris said.
This is not the first violent episode to impact the school; it comes precisely a year after a freshman from Hillcrest High School lost his life to gun violence after a homecoming football game. “These occurrences create a heavy burden and anxiety among students here,” Harris added.
In response, Bremen High School District 228, which includes Hillcrest High School, released statements to the families expressing grief and describing the event as a terrible act of gun violence that abruptly ended what had been a peaceful community sporting event.
The district assured that all students, coaches, and staff from Prairie Hills Junior High, who were also present for the basketball tournament, were safe. The district plans to make counselors available to support the school community when classes resume next Tuesday.
Concerns about safety are growing, with reports of students expressing a desire to transfer away from the troubled school. Harris urges them to reconsider, emphasizing that the problem does not lie with the school or its students but with external threats.
In view of this tragic event, the district is examining its security protocols and discussing measures to enhance safety for all students and attendees at school events. The community and local educators are calling for an increased focus on preventing such incidents in the future and ensuring that schools remain safe havens for young people.