Ryan Hatchett, a 29-year-old African American male, was fatally shot on July 21, 2018, in Chicago, IL. The incident occurred in the Humboldt Park neighborhood during an altercation. According to reports, Ryan was in the upstairs apartment sleeping when he was shot through the stomach. His mother, Sharon Hatchett, heard the gunshots and ran to the stairwell, where she recognized the shooter as Phillip McAbee, the brother of Ryan's girlfriend.
McAbee attempted to shoot Sharon as well, but the gun did not fire. Ryan was taken to the hospital, where doctors operated on him three times, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries after 36 hours.
The suspect, Phillip McAbee, was identified by witnesses immediately but was not found, arrested, and charged until 2019. Despite the seemingly straightforward nature of the case, the judicial process has been slow. McAbee's public defender withdrew early on, and McAbee began defending himself. The COVID-19 pandemic further delayed the proceedings, shutting down Cook County courts for six months in 2020. As of now, nearly five years after Ryan's murder and four years after McAbee's arrest, the case does not appear to be close to trial, with several delays over the years and the case still in the discovery phase.
Ryan Hatchett's death has left his family seeking justice and closure. Sharon Hatchett has expressed her frustration with the slow judicial process, hoping that the trial would have been held and concluded by now. The case highlights the challenges and delays that can occur in the legal system, leaving families of victims waiting for justice.
