High school student shot to death leaving football game

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, Ill. (WLS) - Police are investigating the shooting death of Marshawn Mitchell, 14, who was killed while leaving a homecoming football game at Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills, Illinois.

“They took my baby from me,” Marshawn’s mother Amanda Lenore said.

Marshawn’s great aunt, Tina Thomas, says he was Lenore’s only child.

Police say the shooting happened around 9:00 p.m. Friday after the football game had ended.

Investigators say officers were dispersing a large group of people along 175th Street when an unknown gunman opened fire on the crowd.

Marshawn was hit multiple times and rushed to the hospital in critical condition where he later died.

“What just makes it hurt so bad is that he was a good kid. He didn’t belong to a gang. He was at school,” Thomas said.

The Hillcrest Hawks Football Team took to social media and posted about the shooting writing, “We are all saddened by the events that happened tonight after our Homecoming Football Game against Oak Forest. Please pray for our staff and students who have been affected by this unfortunate, senseless act of violence.”

Country Club Hills Police are investigating the crime and hope security at the school will yield some valuable leads.

Meanwhile, community activist Andrew Holmes is offering a reward of at least $2,000 for any information that leads to an arrest.

“He wasn’t targeted or anything, just a person that made the wrong choice to pick up this weapon and discharge that weapon,” Holmes said.

School officials canceled the school’s homecoming dance.

In a statement, the Bremen High School District 228 wrote, “It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the devastating loss of one of our Hillcrest High School students Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all those involved in this tragedy.”

Marshawn was just a freshman at the school. Seeking a better environment, he recently transferred there after starting the year at Brother Rice High School in Chicago.

Loved ones say he was a gifted athlete and hoped to play football at Hillcrest High School and one day play in the NFL like his older cousin.

“He was only at the school for 4 days, and he was so excited about going to the school dance the night that it happened,” Thomas said.

Relatives say Marshawn’s death has devastated their family. The teen and his mother were close and the family says their bond was made greater when he graduated from 8th grade the same week that she graduated from nursing school.

“If you know something, please come forward and tell the family. Please help us because he did not deserve this. his mom did not deserve this,” Thomas said.

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