(DailyVantage.com) – Chicago has seen a drastic increase in automobile thefts over the past few years, many of which involved teenage suspects. One such carjacking unfolded on May 7, when two teenage girls attempted to steal a woman’s car. The victim responded by shooting at the two teenage car thieves, resulting in one sustaining minor injuries that required medical attention. Police have begun an investigation into the failed carjacking and could pursue criminal charges against the victim for shooting one of the teenage suspects.
The incident occurred during the early morning hours of May 7, when the teenage suspect approached the victim’s car with her friend. The two would-be car thieves then attempted to break into the car by smashing the vehicle’s window, prompting the victim to shoot at both of them with her legally owned firearm. According to investigators, the two teenagers likely targeted the woman due to her owning a Kia, as Kia automobiles have become the subject of an ongoing social media trend. The trend immediately went viral on TikTok and taught social media users how to steal Kia cars and SUVs, sharply increasing Kia automobile theft.
Although investigators haven’t shared information about the teenage suspects or the victim, the victim’s sister, Michelle Tharpe, spoke to media outlets to provide more details about the altercation. Tharpe claims that this is the third time someone has attempted to steal her sister’s car and that her sister has the required paperwork to carry a firearm with her at all times. Tharpe also said her sister had experience as a security guard and acted in self-defense when she shot at 13-year-old teenage suspects. Despite Tharpe’s sister’s experience with firearms, she only grazed one of the suspects. When talking about the shooting, Tharpe’s sister quickly blamed the suspects and said that the teenage car thieves should’ve gone to school instead of committing a crime.
Immediately after the shooting, police transported the teenage suspect to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she recovered almost immediately. Investigators immediately confiscated the victim’s vehicle following the shooting and are still looking into the incident and determining what charges, if any, to bring against the suspects or the victim. The incident has sparked renewed calls for Kia automobiles to feature an anti-theft device, as Kia famously lacks preventative measures to deter car theft.
Copyright 2024, DailyVantage.com
