Activists rally on West Side after shooting leaves 3-month-old boy critically injured

CHICAGO — A West Side community is reeling on Sunday night and calling for extra resources from lawmakers after a baby boy was among two critically injured in a shooting on Saturday.

The shooting unfolded in Little Village, a community that has been plagued by violence, and prompted activists to rally, asking for action, peace and prayers.

“We are gathered here today to do a rosary. A rosary so that the child that’s been hurt can survive. So the father that got shot can survive. They are fighting for their lives right now,” Little Village Community Council Director Baltazar Enriquez said.

Police say the three-month-old boy and a 21-year-old man were inside a vehicle in the 3100 block of West 26th Street just after 4:35 p.m. when another vehicle approached and two armed men exited and opened fire on Saturday. The two gunmen then fled the scene.

“This is a three-month-old baby. If you stay quiet, you’re just as guilty as the guy that pulled the trigger,” Enriquez said.

The young boy was struck in the chest by gunfire and the man was also struck several times. Both victims were critically injured in the shooting, but are said to be in stable condition on Sunday night.

The community is now calling on anyone with information to step up and speak with authorities.

“Everywhere you go there’s a corner, the baby was shot there, there’s a corner, Adam Toledo was killed there. There’s a corner everywhere that constantly reminds us of how Little Village is on fire and no one is coming to help us,” Little Village Community Council Head Organizer Graciela Garcia said.

They are also asking lawmakers to help those living in the violence.

“We have been asking for a mental health center here in Little Village because this is very worrying for us because it’s generational trauma and nobody is healing. So we’re finding a way to heal each other, how the community can heal, and prayers is one of the answers,” Enriquez said.

Members of the Little Village Community Council said they are not getting proper assistance and want members of the community to join them in their fight for more resources.

“There’s a lot of work that needs to be done here in the community so that we can get results,” Garcia said

Following the shooting, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward) spoke out against the violence in a statement.

“This violence comes shortly after our communities suffered a tremendous loss in May, where two leaders in our community were tragically killed. These two people were local peacekeepers who regularly and courageously worked on immediate intervention cases to de-escalate violence and keep our loved ones safe,” Sigcho-Lopez’s statement read in part.

Visit the Little Village Community Council’s website for more information on the organization.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.