Police Questioning ‘Person of Interest' in 9-Year-Old's Fatal Shooting

Chicago police are questioning a person of interest in the fatal shooting of a 9-year-old boy in Chicago, authorities said Wednesday. 

Police said a man walked into a police station for questioning but no charges had been filed as of Wednesday evening. He is also accompanied by his attorney.  

The father of boy told NBC Chicago Wednesday he believes his son, Tyshawn Lee, was targeted in the shooting. 

The fourth grader was fatally shot in an alleyway near his grandmother’s home in Chicago's Gresham neighborhood around 4:15 p.m. while still in his school uniform. Authorities said the boy was shot multiple times in the head and back.

Pierre Stokes says his son's killing was not an accident, arguing that no one repeatedly shoots a child, but he doesn't know anyone that would do this to the young boy. 

"No little boy gets shot seven times on accident," he said. "That's not an accident, that's an execution."

Sources also said the boy may have been targeted in the shooting, one of two theories the sources said authorities are working surrounding the boy’s killing.

One theory is that the young boy was walking through the alley when he became caught in the middle of an argument. A second theory is the boy was the intended target in the shooting.

Chief of Detectives Constantine "Dean" Andrews said at a Monday night press conference a group of people were in the alley where Tyshawn's body was found when an argument broke out and someone started shooting. After the murder the group fled the scene. 

"Somebody executed a baby," Father Michael Pfleger from Saint Sabina Church said during a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

A reward for information leading to an arrest in the case has climbed to $35,000.

Shortly after, Tyshawn's mother gave an emotional plea asking for someone to come forward and help find her son's killer.

"Please come forward and find whoever did this to my baby," Karla Lee said as tears rolled down her face. "Oh my god I love my son. I'm going to miss him."

Dawn Valenti, a crisis responder who assists families in the aftermath of a homicide, called the shooting "another hard blow for our city."

"We just ask that the city stand up, get rid of the code of silence," she said. 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel also addressed the fatal shooting, saying the latest tragedy in Chicago violence is proof that there's evil in the world.

"Whoever did this, I want to say something," Emanuel said. "I believe fundamentally in the goodness of human nature, but there is evil in the world. Whoever did this, there is a special place for them. I hope they never see freedom. I hope they never see daylight."

Tyshawn was a student at Scott Joplin School, where his teachers say he was a "delight" to have in class. He liked to play sports and video games.

"He was supposed to play ball. That's all he do, all he liked to do is play ball and play video games," Karla Lee said. "He didn't hurt nobody. I don't know why this happened."

Stokes said a vigil is schedueld for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at 81st and Marshfield. 

Anyone who may have information about the incident is being asked to call (312) 747-8271.
 

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