Kwana Shaw, 29, was loading her 13-month-old baby into the backseat of her SUV when she was shot around 7:30 p.m. Monday. Shaw is hospitalized in critical condition and is expected to undergo surgery. Her son, Josiah, was killed.
"Taking any life is terrible but to shoot a child makes it worse," said Cmdr. Samuel Roberts, Gary Police Dept.
The suspect, who is still on the run, left Shaw in the street and took off in the car with the baby still inside.
"She stated a suspect approached her as she was placing the child in the red Ford Explorer. He shot her and took the child with him in the vehicle," said Cmdr. Samuel Roberts, Gary Police Department.
Investigators found the abandoned Ford Explorer along 21st Avenue.
"The man was aware there was a child there because she was placing the kid in the vehicle when he approached so he was well aware," said Cmdr. Roberts. "That takes a very low individual to do something like that. To take any life is terrible, to shoot a child makes it even worse."
Gary police called in SWAT teams and a canine unit. They spent much of the night searching for the killer.
"We are junkyard dog tenacity going after this because we don't want any homicides in Gary, Ind.," said Mayor Rudy Clay, Gary.
Gary police SWAT teams converged on the downtrodden downtown area where Shaw and her son were shot. The mayor hopes the police presence will encourage people to come forward with information.
"There will be no peace and tranquility here in Gary, Indiana, until we catch this person," said Mayor Clay. "You cannot hesitate on cooperating here because you may be next. You can't allow a person to get away with something like this if you know you need to stand up and tell the police department."
Anyone with information should call the Gary Police Department.
