June 26, 2023: Prosecutors today dropped all charges against Carlishia Hood and her son.
CHICAGO — A newly surfaced video shows the altercation that prosecutors say ended with a 14-year-old boy shooting a man inside a Chicago fast-food restaurant last weekend. The footage provides a fuller picture of what transpired inside Maxwell Street Express, 11656 South Halsted, late last Sunday, June 18.
Prosecutors charged Carlishia Hood, 35, and her 14-year-old son with first-degree murder this week, saying Hood encouraged her son to bring a gun into the restaurant as she argued with 32-year-old Jeremy Brown at the pickup window. Hood and Brown did not know each other.
During the argument, Hood texted her son, who was waiting outside in their car, and pointed at Brown, Assistant State’s Attorney Anne McCord said Thursday. A female customer laughed at the argument and egged Brown on.
Moments later, Hood’s son entered the store with his hands in his hoodie pocket, McCord said. The argument turned physical, with Brown punching Hood in the head at least three times near the pickup window.
After the first punch, Hood’s son drew her firearm from his hoodie and shot Brown in the back, McCord alleged Thursday. Hood is a licensed concealed carry holder.
But the new video, apparently recorded on a bystander’s phone, shows Brown repeatedly threatening to knock Hood out, punching her once, stopping, then punching her two more times before a shot is heard.
Twitter user @heyFATabbot first posted the footage Saturday.
“Lady! Get your food!” Brown yells as the clip begins.
Hood appears to tell Brown to get back in his car.
“Who? Get in the car?” Brown yells, balling up his right hand. “Get your food! If you say one more thing, I’m gonna knock you out.”
They continued to exchange words for a couple of seconds.
“I’m gonna knock you out,” Brown says as he lands a full-force punch on Hood, who is out of camera view.
“Say one more thing, I’m gonna knock you out,” Brown threatened before punching Hood two more times.
As the third punch is thrown, a gunshot is heard.
Brown ran from the restaurant, with Hood’s son following, McCord, the prosecutor, said Thursday.
Hood ordered her son to shoot and kill Brown as he fled, McCord alleged. She said the boy continued firing at Brown, who died of his injuries.
When the boy stopped shooting Brown, Hood pointed toward a female customer who laughed about the argument and instructed her son to shoot her, too, McCord said. When he didn’t, she tried to wrestle the gun from her son, but he maintained control of the weapon, according to McCord.
Hood and her son surrendered to police Wednesday after Chicago police, hoping the public would help them identify the woman and gunman, released snippets of the restaurant’s surveillance video.
Neither Hood nor her son have criminal backgrounds. Her defense attorney said on Thursday that she is a crossing guard for the city of Chicago. The lawyer said she also volunteers at New Hope Church, organizing children’s activities.