EDITOR’S NOTE: Portions of the videos attached to this story may be disturbing to some viewers.

CHICAGO (WGN) — Parents and community members are outraged after a video that has gone viral on social media shows a mom and her children being attacked by students Monday as they walked home from Orville Bright Elementary School on the city’s Far South Side.

Dozens of people showed up to the school Tuesday morning demanding accountability, some saying they’re shocked but not surprised by Monday’s incident and that the students involved should be expelled.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Public Schools have responded to the attack, which sent 33-year-old Chicago mom Corshawnda Hatter and her 9-year-old son to Trinity Hospital in serious condition. The mayor called the incident “absolutely gut-wrenching” and “appalling.”

CPS, meanwhile, has not released any details of consequences the students involved in the attack may face but says it’s working with city departments and agencies to provide support to Hatter and her children.

Currently, police say it’s unclear what led to the attack Monday, and authorities say no arrests have been made. There will continue to be a police presence outside the school for the rest of the week.

‘Trying to get justice’

According to Chicago police, the attack unfolded just after 3 p.m. Monday in the 10600 block of South Bensley Avenue, in the South Deering neighborhood.

Officers say the victims were walking along the sidewalk in the area when a group of offenders approached and struck them multiple times.

In video of the incident seen millions of times now on social media, Hatter and her two children can be seen walking as a group of young students follows and yells at them. The kids crowd around Hatter and her children, and that’s when two of the kids start punching them. Hatter was eventually thrown to the ground.

WGN-TV is not showing the entire video since it may be too disturbing for some to watch.

“They were literally waiting (along) the way we walk home, just to jump all of us,” Hatter told media and supporters gathered outside the school Tuesday morning. “So I asked my kids to come to the next side of the street with me, so they wouldn’t get jumped.

“So we kept walking. They followed us all the way. … And then they fought my son and hit my son first. … Then they dragged me in the grass and pulled my little baby’s hair out.”

Hatter and her family had a meeting Tuesday morning with school administrators and city leaders about the incident. Police escorted Hatter into the school, and a sea of vocal supporters gathered around her.

State Sen. Willie Preston said he was in the meeting. While he did not speak on the details, he says the family attacked is traumatized.

“We have written every single anti-bullying policy in the book,” Preston said. “We’ve legislated that, but if it’s not working, we need to legislate something stronger.”

Johnson said in addition to accountability for the students who took part in the attack, there needs to be intervention into what’s causing such bullying behavior.

“We want to make sure that those individuals who are involved in this brutal attack, that there is accountability,” the mayor said. “But there’s also something very disturbing about children carrying out such a violent act.

“There’s clearly a need for some intervention there, as well.”

Hatter also said this isn’t the first time her child has been bullied at the school, but she’s hoping it’ll be the last.

“I’m trying to get justice for my son,” she said.

To which one supporter replied, “And you deserve it.”

“It’s been an ongoing thing in this community, and the parents don’t take accountability for anything their kids do,” one parent said. “If my kids were being messy, I’m going to come out here and let it be known. I’m going to shut it down.”

WGN-TV reached out to CPS for comment after the video went viral and received the following response:

“Chicago Public Schools (CPS) prioritizes the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families, and we are committed to building a physically and emotionally safe teaching and learning environment in every school.

“We are horrified by the attack on this family, and we are working collaboratively with City departments and agencies to provide support to the victims of the attack. CPS is coordinating closely with the Mayor’s Office, CPD, CHA, and other City departments to provide additional support to the family. 

School administrators, teachers, and support staff work with students to create an open environment where conflicts and grievances can be addressed. School leaders work with parents and all parties involved to find a resolution, adhering to the Student Code of Conduct (SCC) as they address any confirmed violations. In addition, it is always our goal for all members of our school communities, including staff, students, and parents, to work together proactively to maintain a safe and calm environment at our schools.” 

Johnson also reacted to the video on the social media platform X, saying:

“I was deeply disturbed to see the video of young people attacking a mother and her child on the Far South Side yesterday afternoon. That type of behavior is unacceptable in our city and we must not normalize that type of senseless violence. Leaders from my office have been on the ground all day to coordinate with CPS, CPD, and CHA to respond to this incident. CPD has deployed additional resources to the area to maintain public safety, and we are working with CHA on additional measures to support the family. We have also activated support from community-based organizations that focus on youth services and violence prevention to provide safe passage for students and families at this school. I will continue to monitor this situation closely as I get updates from the ground and as the investigation unfolds.

“It is critical that we provide the necessary resources to our public education system so that every school community has counselors and mental health professionals. We must redouble our efforts to teach our young people that violence is never an acceptable response. Our students and families should always feel safe on their way to and from school and we must make the critical investments necessary to make that a reality in every part of our city. I’m grateful for the community residents who have rallied to support the family and I am calling for calm as we conduct a full investigation and ensure there is accountability for the attackers and healing for the victims.“