Antuajn Hatter, a 19-year-old African American male, was tragically shot and killed on November 27, 2018, in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago. The incident occurred around 7:05 p.m. in the 100 block of North Laramie Avenue. Hatter was shot multiple times and was subsequently taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Hatter's death led to the arrest of Dangelo Jackson, a 17-year-old African American male, who was identified as the
alleged shooter. Jackson was arrested in the Jeffrey Manor neighborhood after police identified him through surveillance footage and other evidence. He was charged with first-degree murder and is being tried as an adult. During the bail hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, it was revealed that Jackson had a history of juvenile convictions and was on juvenile parole at the time of the shooting.
Authorities believe that the shooting was gang-related, with Jackson being a member of the Black Souls gang and Hatter being mistaken for a rival gang member. Surveillance footage from a CTA bus showed Jackson and Hatter exchanging gang handshakes before Jackson followed Hatter off the bus and shot him in an alley. The case against Jackson was strengthened by the identification of Jackson by police officers who had previous encounters with him.
Jackson was denied bail and is due back in court for further proceedings. The case highlights the ongoing issue of gang violence in Chicago and the tragic consequences it has on the lives of young individuals like Antuajn Hatter.
