$10,000 Reward Offered In Search For Shooter Who Critically Wounded 5-Year-Old Boy
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A community group is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter who wounded a 5-year-old boy last week, when a stray bullet hit him in the head while he was playing on his iPad at home.
"There's someone that knows who the shooter is," said Early Walker, founder of "I'm Telling, Don't Shoot," a group of businesses that raises funds to offer rewards in cases when children and innocent bystanders are shot.
On Nov. 16, a 5-year-old boy was on his iPad in the living room of his home on the 200 block of West 115th Street, on the cusp of the West Roseland and West Pullman neighborhoods, when a bullet pierced the window of his apartment and struck him in the head.
The boy was taken to Comer Children's Hospital, and Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said he remains in "extremely critical condition."
Deenihan said investigators believe the shooter or shooters were aiming at a different apartment in the same building.
"He should not be involved in this gun violence. He didn't do anything to bring those bullets to his window, and we really need the community's help to solve this case," Deenihan said.
Police have released security camera video that shows a man hanging out of the passenger side window of an SUV, firing a gun outside the boy's home.
Deenihan said, based on that video, someone in the community likely knows something about the shooter.
"There has to be members of the community out there who have some information that can point the detectives in the right direction, and have the detectives work directly with the community to help solve this case," he said.
Glen Brooks, the director of Community Policing for the Chicago Police Department, said this is the time for police and the community to work together to solve the case.
"If we don't come together, the person or persons that's responsible for this, for driving up and down the street and shooting, not caring where their bullets go, it can affect all of our children. This is an opportunity for us to stand up as a community," he said.
Walker urged the shooter or shooters to turn themselves in.
"This family deserves justice. Right now this child is fighting for his life. The day before Thanksgiving, his family is sitting by his bedside, praying and hoping that their child lives," he said.
Area Two detectives are investigating, and anyone with information is asked to call them at (312) 747- 8271
Anonymous tips can also be submitted to CPDTIP.com.
"Right now the detectives are working extremely hard, but they cannot solve the case without the proper information," Deenihan said.
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