Police in Chicago investigating the fatal shooting of a 9-year-old boy said Monday they could not rule out that the child was targeted, the Chicago Tribune reports.
The boy, identified as Tyshawn Lee, was found in an alley not far from his grandmother’s home with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. Police say the child was in the alley “with an unknown number of individuals” when an argument broke out, the Tribune writes. Tyshawn was pronounced dead at 4:39 p.m.
Police are investigating whether the child was the intended target.
Jada Pinkett-Smith weighs in on the murder of 9 year old Tyshawn Lee:
Sh@& happens… I know. A 9-year-old child shot several times in the torso in a Chicago alley in the middle of the day should not be one of them. In our communities, many of us live by a fierce code… mind your business, don’t say nothing, don’t tell the authorities jack. For most of us, it’s for good reason, we don’t trust authority, and it’s dangerous to speak on things that happen in these restless, volatile streets especially when blood is spilled. But in a time when we are demanding for change and asking a nation to stand up, speak out and shine a light on injustices that are occurring in our communities, we have to recognize that it also takes making some change within our community as well. We may need to break some old habits, take some new risks to make sure we practice what we preach. It takes courage to manifest justice, it takes courage to be a hero, it takes courage to ask for change and to BE the change we are asking for.
If anyone knows anything about the murder of Tyshawn Lee SAY SOMETHING… please…
My condolences to Tyshawn’s mother, to his father and all those who loved him.
Rest in peace Tyshawn.
J