An 8-year-old boy shot and killed inside his home Thursday night in Chicago's Grand Crossing neighborhood was identified Friday morning by the Cook County Medical Examiner.
According to the Medical Examiner, the boy has been identified as Josiah Hooker. According to the Medical Examiner, Josiah's home address is the same location where he was found shot.
The shooting took place just before 5:30 p.m. Thursday inside a residence in the 1400 block of East 71st Place, police said. Josiah was shot in the head and transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead, police added.
A manner of death was not provided.
According to police, a 5-year-old boy also inside the home sustained a graze wound to the head. He was transported to a nearby hospital and last listed in good condition.
According to authorities, a firearm was recovered from the scene.
Neighbors told NBC 5 the boys lived in the home with their mother.
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"She’s a hard-working mother trying to take care of her kids,” said neighbor Julie Harris. “I don’t know where she was at the time, probably at work."
It’s not clear who the gun belongs to, or if it was secured.
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Hearing about the tragedy led Pamela Bosley, a co-founder of Purpose Over Pain, a violence prevention group out of St. Sabina’s, to act. She ordered 100 new gun locks Friday morning, which she hopes people will come and collect.
Sadly, she knows the pain of losing a child to gun violence first hand. She lost her son to gun violence at a church in 2006.
“We don't want another parent to end up in a situation with us,” Bosley told NBC 5.
Once the gun locks arrive, which Bosley said could take a couple of weeks, they can be picked up at St. Sabina’s on West 78th Place or by calling (773) 729-4192.
Chicago police said an investigation remains ongoing.
This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.
