Gun violence remain alarming in Chicago as another toddler's life was taken away earlier this week. Worse, the 2-year-old boy's death was captured on Facebook Live.
The triple shooting incident, which happened in broad daylight, left two people dead, including the toddler. The incident took place on Chicago's West Side at around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, NBC News reported.
The 2-year-old was identified as Lavontay White. Initially, White was taken to a hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. A 25-year-old man was also killed in the incident, but his identity was not revealed.
Bullets also wounded a pregnant woman who was live streaming before the shooting happened. She is believed to be White's aunt but authorities did not release her name.
Police said she suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach but she and her unborn child are expected to survive. It was not stated how far she is along. It was also not revealed what her relationship was with the unnamed man who was killed.
The three victims were inside a car in an alley when another vehicle drove past by them. Someone got out of the other vehicle and then fired the shots.
"We have yet another innocent child that's become a victim of gun violence. Our children should not have to keep paying the price for repeat gun offenders," Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said. Authorities said they have good leads on the issue and are now reviewing the surveillance videos from the area to identify the suspect or suspects.
There is no official motive in the incident but police theorized the man with the pregnant woman and the toddler was a gang member and was the target of the suspect or suspects, New York Daily News reported. In the Facebook Live video, the woman talked to her mom saying she did not want to go to the hospital because she might go to jail.
White was the third child shot in Chicago in the past days. Recently, an 11-year-old girl died after being struck in the head by a stray bullet. A 12-year-old girl was critically wounded just minutes after a separate shooting took place prior to the stray bullet incident. There have so far been 92 children below age 11 who have been killed in Chicago due to the gun violence epidemic.
