Chicago pastor, parents turn in group of juveniles linked to armed robbery

A Chicago pastor helped turn in several juveniles this week who were accused of a gunpoint robbery on the city's subway system.

Clergyman Corey Brooks said he immediately recognized four faces when he saw a Chicago police news release looking for robbery suspects.

The young people were wanted for mugging an 18-year-old woman at the 47th Street Green Line station earlier this month.

He said their parents attended New Beginnings Church, which he leads, and the children — a 12-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl, a 13-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy — took part in programming at Project HOOD, his mentorship group.

Mr. Brooks said three of the parents contacted him early this week asking what to do next. He brought them to a lawyer to talk over the next steps, and the parents quickly decided they wanted to surrender their children to the police.

"They were a little surprised they were gonna have to turn themselves in, and then the shock immediately turned to horror once they arrived at the police station and they saw that it was not a joke," the pastor said.

Mr. Brooks said the 13-year-old boy involved in his program went to the police regarding the robbery by midweek. Two other minors linked to the mugging surrendered to police as well.

The juveniles were charged with armed robbery. Mr. Brooks said the group allegedly used a fake gun to hold up the woman.

All four suspects are being held in juvenile detention. Mr. Brooks hopes they will be released to house arrest by next week.

The pastor said he didn't ask the kids why they allegedly took part in the robbery because there's "no legitimate answer," and at that point, it's about making sure they "face the music."

He said this is the first time any of Project HOOD's mentees have been charged with a serious crime.

Mr. Brooks added that he understands positive influences are hard for young people to come by in the neighborhood. His church is near Chicago's notorious O Block, one of the most violent parts of the city.

But he said their parents are a good place to start.

"These are good parents," the pastor said. "They're not some lazy parents who aren't involved in their children's lives. They're working parents — single moms — and so they wanted to do the right thing."

Mr. Brooks went on to say that this run-in with the law is a good reminder for the accused juveniles that "one bad decision can mess everything up."