$12 million settlement reached in 2019 shooting of Amir Worship during police raid

By JACKIE KOSTEK

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — A multi-million dollar settlement was reached after a 12-year-old Markham boy was shot during a police raid in 2019.

The attorney for Amir Worship said they reached a $12 million settlement for the boy, who is now permanently disabled after being shot in his knee during the police raid in May of 2019.

CBS 2 reported almost four years ago that nearly two dozen officers from Country Club Hills and Richton Park busted into the home of Worship around 5 a.m., while serving a warrant for his mother’s boyfriend.

That’s when one of the SWAT officers accidentally shot 12-year-old Worship, shattering his kneecap.

Attorney Al Hofeld says Worship has since undergone five orthopedic knee surgeries and is expected to need knee replacements as he gets older. Hofeld said the settlement also included a public apology from Richton Park and a private apology from the officer who shot Worship.

Hofeld said while the officer responsible, Caleb Blood, was fired from the SWAT team, he and the family are calling on the Cook County State’s Attorney into reopen the investigation into Blood’s actions that morning.

The charges against Worship’s mother’s boyfriend were eventually dropped. Attorney Hofeld and Worship’s family spoke about the settlement Wednesday.

“I’m very happy that justice was served for Amir and the settlement is for him live and take of himself because he has to live with the knee,” Worship’s mother said.

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