Chicago family living in suburban hotel after stray bullet injures teenage son

CHICAGO - A Chicago family is living out of a hotel in a western suburb after stray bullets traveled into their young son's bedroom back in June.

Three months later, the trauma is still with 13-year-old Cayden Thompson, and he's too afraid to even sleep in a bed. It's also painful because the bullet is still lodged in his body.

Thompson now sleeps on the floor of the hotel room's bathroom. He has severe trauma from the shooting that happened on June 2, 2023. He was 12 years old at the time.

Thompson was in his room in the 7900 block of South Ingleside when two people started shooting at one another outside. Several bullets traveled through a wall, entering his bedroom.

"After I put the broom down, a bullet him me on my right hip. I was able to crawl to the bathroom where my mom was," Thompson said.

Since then, it's been a long road to recovery. His insurance doesn't cover the rest of his physical therapy needed, and his mother says finding a stable apartment for the amount she can afford has been difficult.

"The non-violent crime, victim, compensation, says they're willing to pay rent for at least seven months and then after that, I will have to pay for my own," said Porchia Thompson, Cayden’s mother.

The people responsible for the shooting have not been tracked down. Chicago police are still investigating.