Son of antiviolence activist wants to help young fathers break cycle of violence, after murder of own teen son
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The son of a prominent Chicago anti-violence activist spoke out Wednesday about the murder of his own teenage son.
Robin Hood Jr. said following the death of his son, 16-year-old Rashaun Hood, he wants to empower young fathers to break the cycle of violence. He shared his vision with CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot.
Hood Jr. says one word describes the feeling in his heart when thinking of his son.
"Joy," Hood Jr. said.
He remembers raising Rashaun - even going to parenting class himself as a 17-year-old father - to make sure he had all the tools to raise his son right.
"He didn't have the chance to grow into the person he was supposed to be," said Hood Jr.
Rashaun is the grandson of community activist Rev. Robin Hood. The teen died late last month.
He was found on the sidewalk at 81st Street and Racine Avenue in Auburn Gresham with a gunshot wound to the chest.
Rashaun's father says his son was shot by a person who didn't want Rashaun to take a Divvy bike that was against a gate.
"He rode the bike in circles, saying he's going to bring it back - it ain't even that, it's a city bike," said Hood Jr. "A guy comes out, points a gun at the direction of the three kids. That's when he started shooting."
Hood Jr. says he was shocked to learn his son also had a gun - and fired back.
"It's just mindboggling to me - because the people he's around, we're not about that," Hood Jr. said. "We don't put ourselves in those positions."
Hood Jr. says his son excelled in academics and sports, but feels in the last year of his life, he started surrounding himself with people who brought him down the wrong path.
"I'm thinking he just got the gun the same day he died," said Hood Jr.
After his son's murder, Hood Jr. said he started thinking. He was a teenage father, and all his close friends - six of them - were fathers when they were teenagers. Combined, all of them lost 12 children to gun violence."
Hood Jr. said he is starting the Rashaun Hood Foundation. The organization will provide mentoring and family values workshops for teen fathers, and mental health resources.
"I want to start right here in Lawndale, and I want to make it a nationwide thing - but I want to make it a groundwork foundation here," said Hood Jr, "and if I have to go block by block, house by house, to figure out why we're not together, you know, because it takes a village to raise a family."
Hood Jr. said he is committed to breaking the cycle of gun violence, so another family doesn't endure the pain he's feeling right now after losing his only son.
