CHICAGO (CBS) – An attempted carjacking led to an exchange of gunfire in the West Garfield Park neighborhood Wednesday morning.
As CBS 2's Darius Johnson reported, glass and crime scene tape remained at the scene nearly 12 hours after the chaos unfolded – but that was all. The family of the Concealed Carry License holder who fired at the would-be carjackers called what happened a miracle – saying five rounds potentially saved their lives.
Before sunrise, strangers came together in prayer outside West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park.
"This family has been saved from a funeral, saved from a burial - just saved, saved, saved," a man said in the prayer circle.
Jaquita Sims, 40, and Jaquita's 65-year-old coworker are still alive to tell what happened Wednesday morning.
"I didn't know what happened," said Jaquita Sims' mother, Janice Sims. "I didn't know where she was shot or how many times she was shot."
At 4:30 a.m., Janice Sims received a call that her daughter had been shot. She immediately came to the hospital, where she was hoping for a miracle and answers.
"Thank you, Lord God," said Janice Sims. "Thank you, you didn't take my baby."
Jaquita's mother said her daughter caught a flat tire on the way to work at O'Hare International Airport. Her 65-year-old coworker offered to help by picking her up.
After Sims got in the coworker's Toyota Corolla at Washington Boulevard and Kostner Avenue around 4:40 a.m., four men approached in a silver sport-utility vehicle.
Three of the men surrounded the coworker's Corolla with guns drawn – demanding that Sims and her coworker get out.
"They wanted to carjack them," said Janice Sims. "They just shot the car up maybe 20 times."
Sims was shot in the chest, while her coworker was grazed in the right calf. The four men drove off after Sims' 65-year-old coworker – who holds a Firearm Owners Identification Card and a Concealed Carry License – fired the only five rounds he had before driving to the hospital.
"When I see this car and all the bullets on her side of the car, and she was the passenger, and it's about 20 bullets just on her side," said Janice Sims, "and only one of them hit her, and it didn't kill her. Thank you, Lord."
Sims' family was left in awe of the miracle, while lamenting that the two coworkers were assaulted and shot as they were just trying to make it to their shift.
"It's just sad that a person trying to make a living could almost lose their life just trying to make a living," said Pastor Terrell Stevens, "and so those that are out there with gun violence - this is somebody's daughter. You're not just shooting at random targets."
What breaks Janice Sims' heart is knowing that while her daughter was saved – such may not be the case the next time there is a prayer circle.
"Somebody else's mother is going to get the same call that I got this morning - that their child got shot by the same people, because the guns are still in their hand," said Janice Sims, "and they're going to do it again, and we'll never know who they are – 'cause they shoot and they run."
Jaquita Sims and her coworker were both in good condition upon being taken to the hospital. Jaquita's pastor said she is still shaken by the events that unfolded.
Late Wednesday, Chicago Police
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2 hurt after CCL holder, offender exchange gunfire during attempted carjacking on Chicago's West Side - CBS Chicago
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