7-year-old boy shot on Near West Side later dies in hospital

Alonzo Small and Andrea Medina

1 hour ago

CHICAGO — A 7-year-old boy was shot and killed Tuesday on Chicago's Near West Side, the victim of what police called “random gunfire.”

SkyCam9 flew over the scene in the 2300 block of W. Jackson following reports of shots fired just after 3 p.m., Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said at a news conference Tuesday night that the child was leaving his home to visit a next-door neighbor when gunshots rang out.

“This child was coming out of his residence and was struck by gunfire,” Snelling said.

The child, who police later confirmed was a boy, received assistance from arriving officers. Officers eventually placed the child in the back of the police car and rushed him to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Snelling called gun violence in the city “unbearable and unacceptable.”

“We are losing our children and we really need to think about the gun violence that is happening in this city,” he added. “We must all come together to fight this gun violence in order to save our children. »

According to Snelling, gunshots rang out from a distance and detectives are scouring nearby areas for additional clues to the shooting. Police do not believe the 7-year-old was targeted and do not want to speculate on whether gang violence led to the child's shooting death.

A total of 127 juveniles have been victims of gun violence, 17 of them fatally, this year, Snelling said.

“We will not rest until we bring justice to this case, and it's not just this case, we see this happening too often to our children,” added the police's top police officer. city.

Chicago Mayor Says 'Enough is Enough'

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Snelling for Tuesday night's news conference, echoing the city's top police officer's sentiments that gun violence has reached a breaking point.

“The grief in this city has become more and more unbearable,” he said. “The ungodly behavior and acts of violence that have blighted our city for so long have reached a breaking point…it is no longer just about tragedy, but about changes in the lifestyles of some individuals in this city that have caused damage. terror, trauma and torment.

“We will hold individuals accountable. »

Tuesday's shooting comes after more than 70 people were shot, eight of them fatally, in Chicago last weekend.