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Heaven Sutton, 7, left, was fatally shot in Chicago's North Austin neighborhood.
A 7-year-old girl was fatally shot in the back Wednesday outside of her family’s home in Chicago.
The girl, identified as Heaven Sutton, was selling candy with her mother and playing with friends around 10:45 p.m. in the city’s North Austin neighborhood when someone opened fire down the street, NBCChicago.com reported.
The girl’s mother, Ashake Banks, said she threw herself on the ground while her daughter ran into her family’s home. Moments later, Banks said she found her daughter unconscious inside a hallway.
“There were two guys,” Heaven’s brother, Malik Ellis told NBCChicago.com. “I saw one come out of the gangway. He walked into the middle of the street and started shooting.”
For more, visit NBCChicago.com
Heaven was rushed to an area hospital. She was pronounced dead there at 11:16 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
“I’m lost for words. That was my pride and joy,” Banks told the Chicago Tribune.
Banks said the soon-to-be second grader told her on several occasions she wanted her family to move out of the violent neighborhood. She said her daughter was a sweet, smart girl.
Heaven is the 20th person under the age of 17 to be killed by gunfire in Chicago this year, reported the Chicago Tribune.
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Banks said she opened a candy stand on her block two weeks ago to keep kids close to their homes and away from gang crossfire.
“I opened up the candy store for the kids so they wouldn't have to be pulled back and forth on the block because there’s been so much shooting,” Banks told the Chicago Tribune. “I figured they (gang members) know us, they wouldn’t come to the neighborhood and start shooting, but they really didn’t even care.”
Banks said she believes the shooting is gang-related and Heaven was an unintended target.
A 19-year-old man also was shot in the ankle and is listed in good condition at Loyola University Medical Center, NBCChicago.com reported.
Chicago police are searching for two men seen fleeing the shooting. No arrests have been made.
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Leave a Comment:
I am very saddened by this story. First for the senseless loss of life of this young girl and second by the lack of compassion exhibited in many of the comments posted below this article. Why is it when a young child who happens to white is murdered, the comments are totally different. The anger is usually directed towards the murderer, as it should be. When it's a black child, it seems to be so many post that have a "Well if this wouldn't have been, then"....tone. It's like they try and rationalize why they have no sympathy for this girl and her family. Yet let someone kill a dog/puppy all hell breaks loose. The subconcious racism in our country runs soooooooo deep. Yet many swear that this has nothing to do with race......Only if that were true. Stop the Violence!!!!!
Most of the comments, those that are dealing with the 7 year old child being out playing in the streets at 10:45 pm, would be applicable to a 7 year old child regardless of race.
I haven't seen any of these- just questions as to why a 7 year old was out that late at night. It's a different discussion point, completely separate from the fact that someone shot her.
No one has to rationalize whether they sympathize with someone or not- they simply do or they do not. However, making comments that they disagree with the parenting methods of letting your 7 year old run around on the street late at night, is a different issue.
Unfortunately, there are some ignorant people on this planet that cannot understand that questioning the timeframes of a 7 year old being out at that time does not correlate to race issues, or the fact that a criminal shot her and should be held accountable for such.
The only ones making comments regarding race are those who are claiming people are racist for questioning why a 7 year old was out on the streets at 10:45 pm, shooting regardless- such as from yourself. Why are you bringing race into this?
Stop the ignorant attempts at assuming everything is based on race!!!!!
Nothing to do with race? WHY IS IT ALWAYS A GD DAMN NIG-ER THEN?
Your post makes absolutely no sense.
People making the statement that a 7 year old shouldn't be out playing on the street at 10:45 has absolutely nothing to do with race.
Care to try your nonsensical reply again?
zanilth, I think you're being naive. If it had been a white child killed by a black gangster, I can guarantee you people wouldn't be blaming the mother. And MANY of the comments on here are blatantly racist.
Get real you liberal sh-t bags with all your brain dead solutions. THIS IS A GD DAMN NIG-ER PROBLEM!
Well Steel I dont think there was anything in the article the the mother or the children were from Niger. I don't know if there is a Nigerian embasy in Chicago. If there is one they would need to know if this is happening to thier people a lot.
*sarcasm off* Steel you are a fine, shining, upstanding example of why America is slowly spinning down the drain. You, sir, are a failure of humanity. No sympathy for a 7 year old girl.
Again, it's about common sense. I live in a place that's pretty darn safe and I don't let my boys stay out playing with their friends until 10:45pm! It's a statistical fact... more bad things happen after 10:00pm than before 10:00pm. That said, living in a place like that would be a huge risk factor as well. I travel to Chicago several times per year on business and you won't find me in the hood after 10:00pm. Or, around the hood period I guess. Chicago's a crappy place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there!
I guess your poor boys don't even get to camp out in the back yard? Or go out and count the stars?
I bet you have made them afraid of the dark.
Alas old son, that is the way of the world. I remember being younger and my friend and I camping out and staring up at the stars wondering what it would be like to fly. Fishing, and enjoying the world. Unfortunately now days you cant do that in some places.
Several of my "older" friends (I am almost 68 so really old ya know?) have remarked about our present day social situation. They have noticed that in the days before air conditioning, television, and computers people actually sat out on their front porches, knew their neighbors, and generally watched everything that went on in their communities. Any kid who misbehaved in any way their parents generally knew about it before they ever got home and they met with the consequences right then and there. Any strangers who showed up in the neighborhoods were closely watched to make sure they weren't up to no good. Yes I actually remember those day myself because I was the recipient of some of those 'consequences' upon returning home on occasion. LOL
The point in saying this is to note the differences in the societies of just 50 years ago versus how we live today. Now most of us spend our time either in-doors in the cool comfort of our air conditioned dwellings staring at the TV or some computer image and what goes on outside our doors is completely a mystery to us until something bad happens. Video monitors are gradually becoming the eyes of our society but the trouble is that no one actually monitors the monitors that much so there is still too much that goes on that we are not privy to until it is too late. A monitor may help identify and catch a murderer but an on the scene witness could, with one quick call, possibly prevent the murder in the first place.
In essence we are an inattentive and complacent society who is just not taking care of business as we should be. We are disconnected socially as we now live our lives principally through electronic gadgets rather than in face to face interactions so we are losing our interpersonal skills rapidly. Also since the days of Dr. Spock we no longer discipline to the point that people grow up understanding social boundaries. Where all of this will go is any ones guess but it certainly represents a significant change in our society.
Sleep in peace little angel. No more fear for you. To the mother. I'm sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in my prayers. I do have one question, why was a 7 year old up at 10pm selling candy in what was stated and known to be a bad neighborhood. Im not condeming the mother. Just curious.
7 YEARS OLD , OUT SELLING CANDY IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD , AT 11:00 PM AT NIGHT ???? !!!!!!!!!! ; i know circumstances , time and place , are different from my southern location. if i had my 7 year old grandkid out selling candy at 11:00 pm , '' please believe me '' THE SHOOTER WOULD NOT BE THE ONLY ONE BEING CHARGED WITH A CRIME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but like i said , i know time and place in the usa are possibly more lienient to the rule of childrens safety. MY CONDOLENSES TO ALL THOSE WHO'VE BEEN EFFECTED THROUGH THE LOST OF THIS BEAUTIFUL CHILD.
This is a free country. The child had the right to be out, ALL NIGHT LONG. She also had the right to LIFE.
It wasn't the mother that was wrong, it was the killer. Y'all need to quit trying to justify this MURDER.
I think it's very mean and stupid to blame the victim or her mother.
@weed smoker ; i think you have just showed the weak side of your brain !!!!!!!!!!! NOW I SEE WHY YOU HATE OBAMA
I thought handguns were banned in Chicago? We all know how this is going to end. Only criminals will have guns and everyone else will be their victims. Except for the rich ones who make the laws, of course.
All those who are against guns in the arms of law abiding citizens, move over to the slums and reason with criminals. I'm sure it will work out just fine for ya...
I just couldnt wait to read these comments. SMH! If she wanted her kid outside at 10:45pm thats on her. THE mother is the only one that has to deal with this I'm sure she feels bad enough. It's some really cruel people in this world and most of them are on these comment pages saying negative and cruel things every now and again I'lll read something that not so evil and thats rare. I think people need to look in the mirror and not through it and keep track of your own kids. Its always the ones with no kids saying what they would do where are your kids and are they obeying the law ? and if you dont have any kids shut up
I feel so bad for her mother. This must be so hard for her :'(
One second she was enjoying her daughter's company and the next...
First for all the idiots who are complaining about the little girl selling candy at 10:45pm, you dumb A$$ pieces of crap are blaming the VICTIM!!!!!! and saying its OK to be out shooting at 10:45pm??????????? IDIOTS!!!!!!!
For those of you jumping to the conclusion "her mom was probably running from the drug dealers" you disgust me and shouldnt be let breath the same air as decent NON PREDJUDICE people.
Final thought - I bet the gun was NOT a legally owned fire arm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a sad shame when we read that a 7-year-old is shot (race is irrelevant; or should be) while in her own neighborhood after working with her mom (selling candy at her mom's neighborhood shop). Is the time relevant? Not truly. It is summer, no kids are in school now unless they have year-round school. It is light far later than typical. The larger point as I see it is this darling little girl is working for their family shop with her mom. I did that when I was a child and it happens commonly in family shops.
Also in today's news is a 4-year-old killed by his mom's boyfriend (or suspected let's say). Again, race is irrelevant; or should be. These acts are each horrendous because the children are victims. They are in the "age of innocence" and should be loved by all around them. Instead they were each harmed by someone they (likely) knew - definitely in the second case and potentially in the first case. Their lives will be our choice and need to remember, for the reason that these actions continue far too often and need to stop. It isn't only gun violence, it is violence in the home that needs to stop. Blaming the mom's in either example is pointless as they were both working. Let us move on from there and punish the perpetrators for these heinous crimes against our future generation.
Why is a seven year old girl outside, and selling candy at 10pm? Tragic loss of life and so young, but something is wrong with this story.
STUPID TALK LIKE THIS WILL GET YOU A VISIT FROM THE FBI AND HOMELAND SECURITY DUMMY.
What the heck was the mother doing, having her 7 year old outside at 10:45 pm, "selling candy"?
I suspect that there is more to this story.
Seems so unfair.........thugs live to kill again and an innocent life is snuffed out.
Why doesn't that pin brained Obama relocate the troops in Afghanistan to US cities and southwest borders to fight the real enemy.
Sorry Ken we just don't have enough troops for that. They would have to be stationed about every 50 feet or so around the entire border of America because the drugs are coming in from all four corners of our nation and now are being grown and manufactured right here in our own country. Are we going to station a garrison in every Wal Mart to prevent someone from cooking up some meth in their purse? How about a detachment in every doctor's office to make sure that they aren't over prescribing? Get real here. The solution is not force. Never has been and never will be. Simple solutions only create bigger problems not to mention death and destruction.
America did not have a significant drug problem until we decided to declare war on drugs. Cartels did not exist until we decided to make all drugs illegal and control them with force. We did not have innocent people and little children being killed by drug related violence and drugs themselves until we declared war on drugs. The drug war is the problem. It was a bad solution to a minor problem that has created a monster that now threatens to destroy our society. Stupidity rules again. Geeze Louise. When will we ever learn.
A wise man eliminates a hornet's nest by waiting until nightfall when the hornets are all in the nest and simply puts a bag over it and seals it up. Problem solved intelligently with control and regulation. The stupid man gets a stick and plays pinata with it then tries to swat all of the angry hornets that attack him. Stupid is as stupid does and we have been stupid twice now. Once with alcohol and then with drugs. Time to grow up and get a clue.
Because it doesn't work that way. And that's not Obama's fault. It's the Constitution's....which, for the low-IQed.....Obama didn't write.
All of these comments miss the most important cause of this.. And it is the American Savage Kneegrow ..
Being out that late at night, selling candy, in a city with one of the highest murder rates in the country, is just beyond stupid. Why shouldn't we be allowed to chastise the mom? I live in a WAY safer city than Chicago and I wouldn't be outside with my NINE year old at that time of night. She's in BED.
the little girl would have been better off inside the house at that time,especially in that neighborhood,the scum bag gangs don't value anyone's life,the stupid bastards that run this state ,and city need to pass a ccw law like the rest of 49 other states,gangs aren't going away and the citizens would be able to protect themselves and make a stand
most of these gangbangers are welfare babies. lyndon johnson's tribute to the black race, soon obozo will have whites and asians acting the same way
Most of you freaking so call people are heartless!
A child has been killed, a human being is dead!!!!!! And most of the comments want to blame the mother. News flash it is not the mothers fault!
Out past 10:30 pm selling candy ( want kind of candy). I would guess the kind you eat dumbass.
Mothers fault again on another comment, why will they just not move. Maybe because they have no jobs or money!!! That cross your racist mind????
Or maybe her mom just got off of work and wanted to spend some time with her daughter and now she is dead . How dare all of you to think you are any better!!! How dare her mother not be able to see into the future!!!!
Oh this walk-by shooting aint nuthin but a pop shot to these "A" list gangstas. For the rest of the muthas out there that still need daycare check out w w w totshots co m for after skool and night time care for you little ones.