The shooting of a 3-year-old boy in South Side Chicago has prompted gang leaders from the Gangster Disciple and Black Disciple street gangs to call a truce.
Little Devon Quinn was riding with his dad to pick up his mother on Father’s Day when a gunman sprayed their vehicle with bullets, according to DNainfo.com. The boy, who was hit in the shoulder, is now reportedly paralyzed from his chest down, has no feeling in his limbs and cannot breathe on his own.
The bullet is lodged near the boy’s carotid artery, and he will never recover from paralysis or breathe on his own.
DeSean Wynn, 23, is accused of being the gunman in the shooting. Wynn, a reported ‘Dro City’ gang member, faces charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm and unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon on parole.
Wynne was previously convicted in a 2012 robbery case and sentenced to six years in prison. He was released on parole in September 2015.
He was ordered held without bail.
Corey Brooks, the “Rooftop Pastor” from New Beginnings Church of Chicago in the Woodlawn area, called together the men from several area gangs to broker a truce.
“We went out into the neighborhoods and talked with some of the guys. We tried to leverage influence with those guys and pull them in,” Brooks told DNAinfo.com “We tried to meet we as many people as possible.”
Brooks revealed on Twitter he was able to get GDs and BDs from six different gangs to agree to a peace treaty.
CBS 2 Chicago reports the gang factions involved in the truce rep boundaries from State to Stoney and 55th to 67th.
“What people have to understand is that this stuff comes from years of painful experiences. People don’t know how far back the pain goes,” Brooks said. “People have relatives who’ve been shot and killed. That has a traumatic effect on friends and family, but the community as a whole.”
Tonight @NBCofChicago GD's and BD's representing 6 differs gangs agreed to a peace treaty in Woodlawn #projecthood
— Corey Brooks (@CoreyBBrooks) June 22, 2016
4 Blocks down the street from my house a 3yr old was shot. Please pray for the family! When is this ever gonna stop?
— Corey Brooks (@CoreyBBrooks) June 20, 2016
Brooks hopes the peace treaty sticks throughout the summer.
“We want people to try to trust the process. If we have peace throughout the summer, than it can be something that is ongoing,” Brooks said. “We taking it one day at a time. Even if something does happen, were going make sure it doesn’t escalate.”
Lavondale Glass was one of the gang members who agreed to a truce. Glass knows violence all too well as his son and brother were shot within the span of two weeks, according to CBS 2 Chicago.
Glass called the violence in his neighborhood “sickening.”
Glass said the only way the truce and ceasefire will stick is if there are employment opportunities.
“They want a chance. That’s all they want — a chance,” he said.
Brooks also agrees job creation will curb the violence in the area.
“I always say that jobs stop bullets all the time, and if we’re going to get these guys to put down guns we have to give them some hammers to pick up, we got to give them some jackhammers to pick up, some nails to pick up,” Brooks told CBS 2 Chicago. “They need jobs.”
Ald. Willie B. Cochran of the 20th Ward said he would be putting together a resources fair for the gang members.
