Just last week, the top administrator for CPS sports asked high schools to look at their security arrangements for big games -- and come up with revised plans if theirs were old or inadequate. It was a response to the shooting that took place outside Dunbar High two weeks ago after a basketball game.
Wednesday was the deadline to get those plans in, and North Lawndale Prep submitted early, but that wasn't enough to prevent bloodshed Tuesday night.
Douglas Park houses two high schools, Collins on the west and the much acclaimed North Lawndale Prep on the east. Its teams play their home games at Collins.
Police are investigating what happened after the game Tuesday between North Lawndale and ACT Charter School from the South Side. Jermaine Winfield, a 6'4" star forward for North Lawndale apparently came to the aid of teammates who were being jumped in the park after the game. Police say that's when he was shot in the thigh with .22 caliber bullet, or maybe something smaller.
The parent of a Collins student says the proximity of the schools makes them unsafe.
"They bring it into the high schools, and you have children, West Side of Chicago, South Side of Chicago coming in together, and for some reason they don't get along," said Chantay Fields.
Concerns like those had the Chicago Public Schools top sports administrator Calvin Davis demanding better security planning for area high schools. He sent out a memo last week after meeting with Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis in the aftermath of the shooting at Dunbar. In that case, five teens were wounded, and 18-year-old Georgio Dukes has been charged with five felony counts of aggravated battery with a firearm.
"I think that these are random events. If you look at our basketball schedule, you will see that we conduct hundreds of activities after school for students," said Davis.
The new policy asks schools to insure area police know the schedule for "high alert" games and screen carefully who is allowed in to watch them.
Still, a basketball game Tuesday night between Bogan and Simeon at Bogan High had to be called with less than six minutes left due to a fight in the stands. Davis says that was a case of security plans working -- but police and CPS staff can't be everywhere.
Tuesday night's North Lawndale-ACT Charter game was not a high alert game and so police were not present. Chicago Police say the two 16-year-olds have been charged with simple battery. as Well, they have another person in custody who hasn't been charged.
The juveniles' names will not be released.
