Hillcrest shooting today: 1 dead after parental argument turns into Country Club Hills shooting in HS parking lot, officials say

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, Ill. (WLS) — A dispute between parents escalated Saturday into a deadly shooting outside a south suburban high school, a school district said in a letter to families.

Prairie-Hills Elementary School District 144 told families that the Prairie Hills Junior High boys basketball team participated in a tournament Saturday afternoon at Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills.

The Cook County Medial Examiner confirmed there was at least one fatality in connection with the incident.

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The shooting occurred just before 1:30 p.m. in the school parking lot, the school district’s letter stated.

Bremen High School District 228, the district in which Hillcrest High School is located, also sent a letter to families, saying that “a parent who attended the game from a neighboring community became a victim of gun violence,” and calling the shooting “a tragic incident “.

Witnesses told ABC7 the basketball tournament had just ended when a parent was shot and killed in the parking lot.

“A kid has had a great game… he’s feeling good about himself and now he’s turning that happiness and joy upside down by being in the hospital with his family,” said local activist Stringer Harris.

Police aren’t releasing many details Saturday afternoon or whether anyone has been arrested, but an ABC7 crew at Hillcrest High School spotted a homicide detective at the scene.

“It’s sad… this isn’t just my former high school… I’m a mentor here every week,” Harris said. “I am here at this school to teach about gun violence, and to see this happening again here on this campus is sad.”

The shooting comes just a year after Hillcrest High School freshman Marshawn Mitchell was shot and killed following a homecoming football game.

READ MORE | ‘They took my baby’: Hillcrest HS student shot dead while leaving home game

Harris said these acts of violence on campus affect students.

“Today I received messages from students saying they wanted to transfer from this school, and I’m telling them it’s not a good idea,” Harris said. “It’s not the school that’s the problem. It’s not the kids going to school… it’s always outside.”

The letter from the district stated that all players, coaches and staff at Prairie Hills Junior High are safe.

A district administrator will be available this weekend, and counseling will be available to students and staff when school resumes Tuesday, the letter said.

Further information was not immediately available.