9-year-old boy fatally shot during fight in Matteson

A 9-year-old boy was fatally shot Thursday outside his Matteson home as a result of a fight between teenagers, police said Friday.

Police received a call at 6:06 p.m. Thursday from a woman stating her grandson had been shot outside their home in the 800 block of Campus Avenue, said police Chief Michael Jones. When officers arrived, they provided medical care by packing the wound with clotting gauze and applying a compact chest seal, Jones said.

The boy, Omuiri Jones Brown, was taken to the hospital, Jones said, where he died as a result of a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

“We are heartbroken. We are all in mourning here in the village of Matteson,” Village President Sheila

Chalmers-Currin said. “I give my full condolences to this family. We will do everything in our power to come to a resolution for this family.”

Brown was a third grader at Arcadia Elementary School in Olympia Fields, according to a statement from Matteson Elementary District 162 Superintendent Blondean Y. Davis. The district had social workers, counselors and psychologists at the school Friday to speak with students, teachers, staff members or parents that needed it.

The team will be available again on Tuesday, when school resumes, and as long as necessary, Davis said.

“We will keep this beautiful young child, his family, classmates, friends and teachers in our hearts, thoughts and prayers,” she said.

As Brown was in the hospital, Jones said police were informed a 20-yearold went to St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound suffered during a fight in Matteson.

The preliminary investigation indicated the 20-year-old and Brown were shot during the same fight between two groups of teenagers outside the Campus Avenue home, Jones said.

“This incident is tragic and heartbreaking for Omuiri’s family, our community and everyone involved,” Jones said. “Our condolences go to the family and we’ll put every effort into finding peace for everyone involved.”

Matteson police are investigating with the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force and the Cook County medical examiner’s office, Jones said.

Police ask anyone with information to call the criminal investigation division at 708-503-3130.