4-year-old shot in Woodlawn expected to recover

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Kavan Collins, 4, who was shot in the jaw while walking with his mother Tuesday in the 6400 block of South King Drive, is expected to recover.

The child was walking with his mother, brother and family friend in the city's Woodlawn neighborhood when police say they heard fireworks, followed by gunshots.

"We were coming back from changing my youngest son Kevian's diaper and as we were walking, we heard firecrackers. We didn't think to run," Brashear said.

Eventually they did run. But by then Kavan had been hit. Kavan's jaw was broken by the bullet and he will likely need surgery.

A witness says there was a group of people standing outside the Parkway Garden Apartments when a black car pulled up. The witness says a person got out of the car and started firing shots into the crowd.

Chicago police say the shooting occurred just after 9 p.m. Kavan was taken to University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital. He is in serious condition and is still sedated.

Also injured was a 28-year-old woman, lying in bed in her first floor apartment. The woman was shot in the temple by a stray bullet and transported to Stroger Hospital, where her condition has also been stabilized.

The housing complex where the shooting happened is known for its violent history.

"The guns need to stop. The violence needs to stop. There are babies out here dying. I have two kids of my own," Jennifer Stanford, a witness, said.

"They have too many people in different gangs," Barbara Adams, a resident, said. "People being jealous hating on each other and God, he did not create the earth for this."

It was just last week that Pastor Corey Brooks, of New Beginnings Church, brokered a truce between the neighborhood's two rival gangs.

"The truce is still in effect. The gangs are helping with communication as far as we believe we know who did it and we are looking for him," he said.

Pastor Brooks, who is also with Project HOOD, is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the shooter.

"We're going to make sure that if you shoot somebody in Woodlawn, from this point on, we're going to do everything we can, even if it deals with having to give up a reward to make sure that you're captured," Pastor Brooks said.

Police said neither victim was the intended target. The shooters were traveling in a four-door, dark-colored vehicle and opened fire on a crowd that had gathered in the courtyard of the housing complex that's known locally as "O Block."

The name derives from 20-year-old Odee Perry who was murdered there in 2011. A Sun-Times analysis done two years ago deemed O Block Chicago's most dangerous because of the high number of shootings.

One resident, Eric Thomas, prays for his life as he walks by every day.

"I just pray that God is watching over me and leave it in his hands. Like the bible say you walk through the shadow in the valley of death, but you can't fear no evil," Thomas said.

Police say they have surveillance video from the apartment complex and are reviewing it. They are also canvassing the neighborhood.

"I wish I could have done anything to prevent it," Brashear said. "I wish it was even me, because he was right on the side of me. He was with me. He was holding my hand. When I turned to look at my son he had blood on me and I was still holding his hand."

No one is in custody.

The two victims were among 15 shot in Chicago Tuesday.