CHICAGO (WLS) — Two people are in custody in the shooting that hurt a young child on the city’s Southwest Side, according to Chicago police.
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The shooting happened on Wednesday around 7:10 p.m. in the 3100-block of South Ashland Avenue, police said.
A 4-year-old boy was in a minivan as a passenger, driven by a 23-year-old man, according to the police. An armed individual in a vehicle behind them opened fire.
The boy was shot in the back and was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
On Thursday, Chicago police confirmed two persons of interest are in custody. No other details regarding the people in custody were released.
Alderwoman Julia Ramirez of the 12th Ward is hoping to help the boy and his family.
“We are collaborating with various organizations that follow up with gun violence victims to determine the best way to support the family and the child,” Ramirez stated.
Investigators said at the time of the shooting, three other kids were in the van along with two adults.
“The car did have the 4-year-old in the back,” Ramirez said.
Ald. Ramirez understands the enduring effects of trauma all too well. His younger brother, Nicholas, was an innocent victim of gun violence, mistaken for someone else. He lost his life 10 years ago.
“It’s hard to sleep on days like this I think about my own mother,” Ramirez said. “I think about everybody who is triggered, not just myself, but anybody who hears that kind of news.”
A family member told ABC7 at the hospital that the boy was shot multiple times and was going into surgery Wednesday night.
No other passengers in the victims’ vehicle were injured, police said.
Ald. Ramirez told ABC7 the boy shot is stable as police continue to investigate.
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