Woman who shot 12-year-old: 'I was terrified'

[lewisipso]

A thin woman with silver hair and dark-rimmed glasses stood Wednesday evening on her front steps, shattered glass at her feet and crowds of neighbors milling around the block and speaking of her in heroic terms.

Margaret Matthews, 68, said she had been harassed for more than a year by a pair of boys in her South Shore neighborhood. On Tuesday, the boys stood on a shed in her front yard hurling bricks at her. Matthews, exasperated and uncertain whether police would respond, pulled out a gun and shot at them.

"There is no explanation for how I felt," she told the Tribune. "I was terrified."

Her shot hit one of the boys -- a 12-year-old -- in the shoulder. The boy was treated at a hospital and released, and Matthews said she's thankful he's alive but doesn't regret her action.

"The young man hit me in the chest with a brick," she said. "After a year of harassment, that was the straw that broke the camel's back."

In this rough South Side neighborhood where residents often observe a code of silence, voices rose up in unison Wednesday to support Matthews, affectionately known as "Miss Margaret."

"I think she did right," said Jimmie Johnson, echoing a sentiment heard over and over on Matthews' block. "She was just protecting her property."

Tnoila McCoy, 54, a neighbor and decades-long friend of Matthews', said the two boys had been causing problems for months.

"They've been terrible to her for over a year. They burned up her barbecue pit and her flower bed," McCoy said. "She was protecting herself. These kids came to her yard, jumped her fence and started terrorizing her. She didn't just shoot a kid."

The 12-year-old and his companion, 13, were charged with aggravated assault. Police said Matthews would not be charged.

Woman who shot 12-year-old: 'I was terrified' - Chicago Breaking News

[Ducky]

The "code of silence" seems to not be working so well...

[jmur5074]

If she were a cop that kid woulda been an honor roll student.

[Standard Dave]

Shame it was only a wounding could have saved the people of that neighbourhood 58 years of trouble from this hooligan.

[Twan007]

If she were a cop that kid woulda been an honor roll student.

+1

[10-42Adam]

Sounds like the little brat deserved it. Hopefully it taught him a lesson, but I doubt it...

[countybear]

Nice shot, Granny.

[spcwes]

If she were a cop that kid woulda been an honor roll student.

Lol that made me chuckle in real life. Don't forget he would also have a large family that loves him dearly and they would find it hard to understand how he could have done those bad things between all the time he puts in at the homeless shelter.