9-year-old boy killed in shooting in Franklin Park had infectious smile, uncle says

FRANKLIN PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- The 9-year-old Chicago boy shot to death during his grandmother's birthday party in west suburban Franklin Park on Saturday night was going to turn 10 in just a few weeks, his uncle said.

Ulysses Campos loved making people laugh, with an infectious smile, his uncle said.

"He was just a little kid of 9-year-old who is now in heaven watching over all of us," Otilio Campos said.

While the family has chosen not to show their faces, they're sharing their memories of a little boy who loved to play video games and be around family, even in his final moment. Campos said the boy's father had just bought him a PlayStation for his upcoming birthday in two weeks.

"I would describe him as full of life," said Otilio Campos. "He loved to make people laugh. He loved to make people smile."

Police said the shooting happened in the 2800-block of Elder Lane at about 10:15 p.m. Otilio Campos said the family had just returned from celebrating another family member's life.

"The whole family came together to help support my mom and her very big milestone birthday, right?" Otilio said.

Ulysses Campos was playing with other children when a disturbance happened in the alley nearby.

Someone fired four to six shots into the group from inside a moving vehicle, and Campos was shot, police said. No one else was hit by the gunfire.

"The utter feeling of knowing that he's lying there and I can't save him broke my heart," his uncle said.

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Campos was transported to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he later died. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said he was shot in the chest and died just before 11 p.m.

Police found the suspect vehicle in unincorporated Leyden Township, and a person of interest is in custody.

Ulysses was killed just two weeks before the boy's own birthday.

"And all he wanted for his birthday was a PlayStation 5 so that he couldn't continue to play video games," his uncle said. "His father, being the good farther that he was, got him a PlayStation 5 for his birthday and sadly he never got to see it."

Police said the shooting was isolated, and there is no threat to the public.

The Franklin Park Police Department asked anyone who witnessed the shooting or could provide additional surveillance video to contact them at 847-678-2444.

A GoFundMe to raise money for the boy's funeral had already raised over $7,000 as of Monday morning.