Chicago teen accused of fatally shooting mother at point-blank range in front of father, brother
CHICAGO (CBS) — A 17-year-old boy is now being charged as an adult in the fatal shooting of his mother in the South Shore neighborhood on Thursday.
Chicago police said he was placed in police custody the same day, just before 10 p.m., in the 7000 block of South Cottage Grove. The teen is charged with first-degree murder.
Davion Pryor appeared in court Saturday afternoon. Judge David Kelly was visibly emotional as he took on the case and stopped several times to collect himself. He called it a tragedy, as prosecutors alleged Pryor shot his mother, 43-year-old Tatanisha Jackson, in front of family members.
Prosecutors say Pryor called Jackson 10 minutes before the shooting, but it was not a threatening phone call. He called to tell her someone was drinking on their back porch.
Prosecutors say as she arrived at her home on Cornell Avenue in the South Shore neighborhood and unlocked the door, Pryor opened it from the other side and shot her in the head four times at point-blank range.
Prosecutors say Jackson's husband - Pryor's father - and his 7-year-old brother were with her as they had just picked up the young boy from school. Both were just steps behind her when she was shot.
The father told detectives that as he scooped the younger boy up and as he was calling 911, he heard several more gunshots before Pryor ran out of a back door.
A man who was getting off work nearby said he heard over a dozen gunshots.
"So everything was peaceful, and then out of nowhere, shots let off," said Ronald Jackson. "We hear like eight shots. After the eight shots, I'm like, 'No, that wasn't no gunshots.' Then it was six more."
Jackson said he recognizes Jackson's pictures circulating on social media.
"I've seen her a couple times. Sorry to hear that. Just, you know, death in this city—it's sad. Every day, every year, it just happens," he said. "So I feel sorry for their family."
First responders found Jackson with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body. They also found 12 shell casings nearby and recovered a gun at the scene.
Jackson was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Police said Pryor ran away but turned himself in several hours after the incident.
Prosecutors say Pryor has two pending cases in juvenile court for aggravated battery and vehicular hijacking. He was on home confinement at the time of the shooting and was set to appear in court on Oct. 3.
His grandmother and older half-sister were also in court on Saturday. Pryor's grandmother said that he has been diagnosed with mental health problems in the past and has been off his medication. The judge ordered a mental health evaluation as the next step in the case.
Jackson had three sons, Davion and his two younger brothers. She also had an older stepdaughter.
Pryor will remain in custody with an upcoming court date set for next Friday.
