Faith leaders in Chicago's Austin neighborhood will announce a reward for anyone who finds the killer of the 3-year-old boy shot while riding in a vehicle Saturday night.
The Austin community faith leaders and residents are expected to gather Sunday around 2 p.m. at 600 N. Central Ave., which is near the corner where the fatal shooting occurred.
Pastor Ira Acree of the Greater St John Bible Church and community members said they will announce a $2500 reward aiming to "call on the community to speak up and help us get the perpetrator of this crime off the street.”
“This travesty has touched the hearts of so many people in and outside of our community," Acree said. "We are grateful that so many are committed to bringing the shooter to justice.”
Pastor James Brooks of the Harmony Baptist Church said that Chicago cannot become immune to urban violence occurring everyday while people focus nationwide on ending police violence.
The shooting was reported at approximately 6:30 p.m. in the 600 block of North Central Avenue. A 27-year-old man told police he was driving southbound on Central Avenue when an unknown occupant inside of a blue Honda fired shots, striking him and his 3-year-old male passenger.
The young child sustained a gunshot wound to the back and was taken to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park where he was pronounced dead.
