$12K reward offered for arrest of gunmen who fatally shot Malcolm X College nursing student in Avalon Park food mart
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A group of mothers are calling for charges against the parent of a nursing student fatally shot at an Avalon Park food mart to be dropped.
They held a rally Sunday in front of a South Side police station, calling on the mayor and Chicago police to bring justice for 18-year-old Jaya Beemon and her mother Nyisha Beemon.
"I think it was absolutely ridiculous that this mother was arrested at probably one of the lowest times of her life," said Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton.
Nyisha Beemon was arrested and charged with two misdemeanor counts after police said she allegedly struck and kicked an officer while they were trying to clear out the emergency room. She had just learned of the death of her teenage daughter.
Nyisha Beemon, who works as a hospice nurse, said, "I've seen so many patients of mine, as I pronounce them, grieve differently so I don't know the proper protocol for grieving. So I would like to know the proper protocol for grieving because we're all different."
Jaya Beemon, a nursing student at Malcolm X College, was killed while shopping at a food mart in the Avalon Park neighborhood Tuesday.
WATCH: Full surveillance video released by CPD
Police said three shooters walked up to the store in the 7900-block of South Avalon Avenue, looked inside and opened fire, killing the teen and injuring four others.
The group of mothers also asked the mayor and Chicago police to better train officers in dealing with grieving families in a time of loss, calling what happened to Nyisha Beemon unjust and insensitive.
"That was out of order and us as mothers that lost children, we're standing with this mother and we're not going to let this go away," said Gwen Baxter.
Police have released surveillance video of the shooters, but so far no arrests have been made.
Beemon's family, Father Michael Pfleger and victim advocate Andrew Holmes are now offering $12,000 as a reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the shooters.
