Person of interest in custody for fatal shooting of 7-year-old boy on Near West Side

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Friday, June 21, 2024 3:11AM
Person of interest in custody for fatal shooting of 7-year-old boy
Chicago police said a person of interest is in custody for the shooting death of Jai'mani Amir Rivera on the Near West Side Tuesday.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A person of interest is in custody for the shooting death of a 7-year-old boy on the Near West Side Tuesday, Chicago police said.

Police said the person was taken into custody for Jai'mani Amir Rivera's murder. He was struck in the chest by a stray bullet when leaving his home on in the 2300-block of West Jackson Boulevard to visit his grandmother.

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Chicago police officers responding to a call of shots fired rushed him to the hospital in the back of their squad car, but were unable to save the boy. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police have not released any further information about the person of interest. No charges have yet been announced.

Community leaders offered a $15,000 reward being offered for information leading to an arrest and the murder weapon at a vigil for Rivera Wednesday night.

Rivera loved Spider-Man and video games, his family said Wednesday. He has been described as a joy to the community, and that community raised the reward money to find his killer.

Rivera had stepped outside of his home to take something to his grandmother when he was hit by gunfire that erupted from a distance. His aunt said he was playing a video game before he left.

"He told his stepdad that 'don't touch the game; I'll be right back. Please don't touch my game.' And he never came back," Daniella said.

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On Friday there will be a peace march in honor of Rivera, at 1 p.m.

That will step off at Jackson Boulevard and Western Avenue.

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