A family is mourning the loss of a teenage boy who was gunned down on the streets of Chicago.
13-year-old Robert Freeman Jr. was shot 22 times while he was riding his bike from of his home.
According to published reports, Robert, who was most recently enrolled at Oglesby Elementary School, was riding his bike Wednesday (July 28), when he was shot by an assailant who ran out from a gangway.
Police sources said it appeared the boy was mistakenly targeted.
Neighbors said Robert had a similar haircut, complexion and height as another boy in the neighborhood who they think was the target.
Police are also investigating a theory that the shooter targeted the wrong teen and that the motive for the shooting was a dispute over drugs or money, several sources said.
Although Robert may not have been the intended target, his mother, Teresa Lumpkin, states that the murderer who took her life all too soon, has left her with an image of her son that she can’t erase.
“My baby was just lying there,” Theresa Lumpkin cried. “He tried to get up. He tried to fight for his mama. He tried to fight for his life.”
Reports state that neighbors, who did not want their names published, heard the shots and came to the front of their house and saw the gunman standing over Robert, shooting repeatedly. One neighbor stated that he attempted to stop the shooting, but by the time he made it outside, it was too late.
“I was running out the door to say, ‘Stop shooting that baby.”
As of press time, no arrests have been made in conjunction with the shooting.
Robert was the fourth teen shot in the area in a week. In neighboring Roseland, a 15-year-old was shot Tuesday, a 17-year-old was shot Monday and a 14-year-old was shot Sunday. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
