About six years ago, the Rev. Robin Hood remembers his grandson, Ra-Shaun Hood, tried to teach him how to use Cash App, an app that allows people to send and receive money. Hood joked that his grandson told him he’s a dinosaur.
“I said ‘well, as long as I’m a Tyrannosaurus rex, we’re all right,’ ” Hood replied back.
Hood, a prominent Chicago pastor and community activist, recounted some of his favorite memories of his grandson, who was shot and killed Friday night. He also called for measures to stop gun violence, a cause he’s spent much of his career championing.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed that Ra-Shaun Hood died following a shooting in Auburn Gresham Friday night. Police said they found an unidentified boy on the sidewalk in the 1200 block of West 81st Street around 10:15 p.m. with gunshot wounds to the chest.
The Chicago Fire Department transported the 16-year-old to Comer Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police said no one was in custody as of Sunday morning, and they were still investigating the case.
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Hood, who described his grandson as “energetic” and “a good decent kid,” said the teen played basketball and baseball and was about to be a junior in high school. His family called him “tiny man” because he was short in stature, Hood added.
Hood said he also remembers when his grandson was about 4 years old, and he kept calling himself Robin Hood Jr. instead of Ra-Shaun.
“He was so proud of that last name, Hood,” he said. “I called him and said, ‘Boy your name ain’t no Robin Hood Jr., your name is Ra-Shaun.’”
Hood referenced an article from the Chicago Tribune published in 2005 about the death of his cousin, Michael Stigler. The article said Hood had “led rallies against violence and comforted the families of the dead,” “but this time the family was his own.”
“It took me back to that place again,” Hood said. “What I recognize is that I’m not in as bad as shape mentally, because it still hurt. I still felt the pain, and that let’s me know that I’m not numb to it.”
Hood said he’s had multiple relatives die from gun violence, but his grandson is the first member of his family to die so young. The rest of his family is grieving heavily, Hood said.
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He said his grandson’s death made him recommit to limiting gun violence in Chicago, something he noted affects thousands of people in the city.
“It’s going to affect his friends. It’s going to affect the people that went to school with him. It’s going to affect the neighbors,” Hood said.
Hood said gun violence is an epidemic, and people should start taking the politics out in order to help solve the problem.
Chicago Police Department data shows that in the first half of 2023 Chicago recorded 304 killings — a 7% decrease compared with the first six months of 2022, when the city saw 328 killings. The city recorded another 844 nonfatal shootings in the first half of this year, down from the 904 in the first six months of 2022.
However, despite the decline, Hood said people of all ages in Chicago are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to violence.
“It’s all hands on deck for the violence,” Hood said. “Because your grandchild could be next. Your daughter could be next. Your child could be next. Your son could be next. Your mother could be next.”
“This gun violence is truly equal opportunity,” Hood added. “Anybody, no matter where you live at, how much money you make, what nationality, race, creed, color or religion, it does not discriminate. It’s going to take all of us — from the White House to the outhouse.”
