A 7-year-old boy was in critical condition on Christmas Day after being shot in the head shortly after midnight.
The boy, Leonard Cobb III, was one of two people hit by bullets apparently fired from across the street of a home on the 1000 block of Durbin Street, in Gary, Ind.
"It's very tragic. Especially because Christmas is a time for giving, sharing, families getting together, and families who may have not seen each other since last Christmas," said Gary police spokeswoman Gabrielle King.
Cobb was taken by ambulance to Gary Methodist Hospital before being airlifted by a University of Chicago Medical Center helicopter for treatment at Comer Children's Hospital.
The other shooting victim, Kenneth Farr, 36, was reportedly shot in the groin and drove himself to the hospital. At last check, Farr was listed in stable condition.
King said there were about six people in the home at the time of the shooting, including the two victims. Farr lived down the street, she said.
Family members told police detectives they didn't hear any passing cars immediately before the shooting, leaving them unsure if the shooting was a drive-by.
Neighbor Marc Drayton said he was in his home when he heard the sound of what he initially thought were fireworks.
"I heard the gunfire, but like I said, it's Gary. ... You hear gunfire you don't go running to the door because you don't know actually what's going on," said Drayton.
He said he knew the situation was bad when he left his house at 2 a.m. to get his wife from work and still saw emergency vehicles outside.
"He's not even here to open his gifts and stuff this morning," he said. "That's bad."
Cobb's family has not yet commented publicly.
