ST. LOUIS — A 3-year-old boy was shot while sitting in his mother’s car Wednesday evening in St. Louis.
The woman said it was about 8:50 p.m. and she had just parked in front of a house in the 4200 block of Evans Avenue to drop off groceries for a family member. She left the 3-year-old boy and four other children in the running vehicle while taking the food to the house.
As she was standing on the front porch, the woman told police she heard multiple gunshots and took cover. When the shooting stopped, she looked checked her car and saw bullet holes and damage from the gunfire.
The 3-year-old boy inside the car had been shot in the torso.
Emergency crews responded to the home in the Vandeventer neighborhood and rushed the boy to a nearby hospital. As of Thursday morning, police did not have an update on his condition but said his vital signs were stable at last check.
Two 1-year-old boys, a 6-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy who were also inside the vehicle were not injured. No one else was hurt, police said.
St. Louis police did not have details about potential suspects in the case. The investigation is ongoing.
A 5 On Your Side photojournalist who went to the scene Thursday morning saw a car parked on the street with several bullet holes on the side and back windshield. In their initial report, police did not release a description of the vehicle the children were sitting in when the shots were fired.
Resources for crime victims:
If you have been a victim of a crime or know someone who has been, 5 On Your Side has compiled a list of resources.
Better Family Life is a nonprofit community development organization working to “stabilize inner-city neighborhoods.” One aspect of its mission is a gun violence de-escalation program.
To learn more, call 314-381-8200 or visit https://www.betterfamilylife.org/
Life Outside of Violence “helps those harmed by stabbing, gunshot or assault receive the treatment, support and resources they need to find alternatives to end the cycle of violence.”
To learn more, call 314-327-6697 or email: ProjectLOV@WUSTL.edu
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has an anti-crime program called “Safety Net for Youth Initiative,” which is a joint partnership between and Saint Louis Public Schools to provide services to at-risk youth.
To learn more, visit https://www.ulstl.com/anti-crime-initiative.html
Cure Violence is an international organization that has recently launched in a handful of St. Louis neighborhoods. Violence interrupters are trained to deescalate violent situations within their own communities. To learn more, visit https://cvg.org/