2 person of interest in custody after boy, 4, shot in back while inside minivan in McKinley Park
A 4-year-old boy was struck and seriously wounded when someone fired a gun at a minivan in Chicago's McKinley Park neighborhood Wednesday evening.
At 7:10 p.m., the little boy was traveling in a minivan driven by a 23-year-old man in the 3100 block of South Ashland Avenue, near the diagonal Archer Avenue, police said.
Another vehicle pulled up in the back, and someone inside fired shots at the minivan, police said. The 4-year-old boy was struck in the back.
Broken windows or holes were seen on the side of the van into which the shots were fired. At least three bullet shell casings were spotted at the scene.
After firing, the shooter drove off. Meanwhile, the 4-year-old's family drove him in the minivan to the University of Illinois Chicago Medical Center, according to dispatch reports.
He was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County in critical condition.
The man driving the minivan was not injured.
Two other adults and three other children were also in the minivan. None were injured, but the young children were likely traumatized by what unfolded right in front of them.
The motive in the shooting was unclear Wednesday night. It was not known whether the shooter knew or cared that children were in the minivan. But the gunman still decided to open fire in the middle of the street.
A southbound lane of Ashland Avenue was closed at Archer Avenue.
On Thursday morning, police said they have two persons of interest in custody in connection to the shooting.
Police have not released any further information.
