West Palm Beach, Fla. – A 1-year-old boy has died Shot in the chest Thursday evening in West Palm Beach in a suspected targeted shooting, police said on Friday.
A West Palm Beach Police Department spokesman initially said the baby was 4 months old. However, police later clarified to WPTV on Friday that the boy was in fact 16 months old.
Police said that the child died after the operation in the hospital.
Investigators said the boy, along with both his mother and father, aged 20, was sitting south of Fourth Street and west of Douglas Avenue just before 6 p.m. Thursday, when at least one shooter approached the car. And opened fire on him. it. ,
“The driver of the car, a 20-year-old man, immediately took the injured woman and child to a nearby hospital,” West Palm Beach Police spokesman Mike Zachless said.
His aunt told that the boy sitting in the back seat of the car has suffered a chest injury.
The child’s mother was shot and taken to hospital, where police said she was treated and later released. The person in the car was not injured.
Taniyah Carter said her sister called her soon after the shoot.
“She was so focused on the baby,” Carter said. “So she didn’t know she had been shot. But the whole time she kept screaming, ‘They shot my baby. They shot my baby.'”
The gunman fled the spot and has not been caught.
West Palm Beach Police is now offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case.
“Our detectives are determined to find the person or persons responsible for the murder of an innocent 16-month-old child,” Jackels said. “No words can describe what that family must be going through.”
WPTV
Police officers were going from vehicle to vehicle on Friday, passing passengers and talking to drivers near Palm Beach Lake Boulevard and Tamarind Avenue.
Zachless said the shooting was a targeted attack. However, no other details have been released about the possible motive.
“There’s no threat to the neighborhood, per se. It was targeted,” Jackals said. “It wasn’t an accidental attack. These people or anyone in the vehicle was targeted.”
Geneva Thomas, who lives in the neighborhood, said she did not understand why anyone would do this.
“We have a lot of kids playing here,” she said. “That’s the only thing I’m worried about too. These kids and my health. I don’t want to be shot by anyone and that’s why I’m living in my house from now on.”
Desiya Baxtor, a resident of the area, is also concerned about gun violence. He forbade his two children from going into the yard.
“We do a lot outside,” she said. “I try to keep them out, and now that they’re shooting right here, I really don’t like coming out anymore.”
in February, West Palm Beach police announced the arrest of 18 people whom officials said were linked to a “Fourth Street gang.” According to the probable cause affidavit, which operates primarily in an alleyway between Third and Fourth Streets adjacent to Tamarind and Douglas Road.
Jeckles did not confirm Friday whether the shooting of the 1-year-old boy had anything to do with gang activity.
“The ‘Fourth Street Gang’ had a drug and gun bust a few months back. Any connection to the investigation, it will all be a matter of what detectives have for now as part of the investigation. Will. . ” said the Jackals. “So it would be just speculation at this point.”
Watch the news conference:
West Palm Beach police talk about fatal shooting of 1-year-old boy
West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James issued the following statement about the shooting on Friday, calling it a “heinous act”:
“I am saddened to learn about the tragic death of the child and the injuries suffered by his mother, who was targeted last night. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time. The murder of an innocent child is beyond comprehension. … There is too much gun violence in our country right now. It is unfortunate that the state has tied the hands of the municipalities to take further action against the gunmen.
Anyone with information that can help investigators is asked to call the West Palm Beach Police Department at 561-822-1900 or Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers at 800-458-TIPS.
The identities and photos of the 1-year-old boy and his 20-year-old mother were provided by a family member to WPTV on Friday. However, since then, the families of the victims have enforced the Law of Mercy and wish to keep their identities private. Therefore, in honor of the victims and their families, WPTV is no longer identifying the child and his mother.