Photo Courtesy of WGN9
A baby boy’s life hangs in the balance after a road rage incident left him shot in the head in Chicago. According to People Magazine, a 21-month-old boy named Kayden was critically-injured by gunfire while traveling northbound on South Lake Shore Drive in the city when he was shot in the right temple on April 6. The car the child was riding in then crashed on North Lake Shore Drive, according to the police.
Chicago police believe that the incident occurred as a result of road rage.
Dr. Marcelo Malakooti, the Associate Chief Medical Officer at Lurie’s Children’s Hospital, said in a statement to the magazine, “The child sustained a bullet wound to his head and he is in very critical condition currently being treated in our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. He is requiring full critical care support. We are doing all we can do for this little boy and thank everyone for their concern.”
Malakooti released a statement later that said the boy “remains critically ill yet has not worsened.”
“He is in a medical coma to protect his brain, and remains on a ventilator which he is fully requiring to support his respiratory system in addition to medications to support his brain through this injury.”
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CPD Deputy of News and Affairs Tom Ahern reported that witnesses saw a female exit her vehicle with the toddler, and a bystander then transported the woman and the toddler to Northwestern Hospital.
Ahern stated, “It appeared from the initial information that it was a traffic altercation of some sort between the two vehicles. He also mentioned that investigators are determining “whether there were words exchanged or gestures made.”
During a news conference on Tuesday, Commander Jake Alderden said “It appears that they are completely unknown to each other and there was a dispute possibly over somebody not letting somebody into a lane of traffic,” reported WGN9.
Clifton Marvel, Kayden’s grandfather, is hopeful for his grandson. He said “The bullet went in and came out,” according to the news outlet. “He’s been in surgery. It looks to be like he’s going to be OK.”