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.
According to police, a 4-year-old boy was a passenger in a minivan being driven by a 23-year-old man when shots were fired by an armed offender in a vehicle following them.
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.
Ramirez stated, “We are currently in contact with various organizations that provide support to victims of gun violence as we await more details on how we can best assist the affected family and child.”
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.
Having experienced the long-lasting effects of trauma firsthand, Alderman Ramirez empathizes with the situation. His younger brother Nicholas fell victim to gun violence and mistaken identity, losing his life a decade 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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