10-year-old boy shot in neck by stray bullet, 3 men injured in shootout outside Gary home

GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- A 10-year-old boy was hit by a stray bullet in his neck during a shootout outside his family's home in northwest Indiana Thursday night.

The shooting occurred at about 6:25 p.m. in the 5800-block of West 29th Place in Gary.

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Residents say violence erupted when at least three men met up on the block and got into some sort dispute.

"The bullet went in, and it kind of curved off. And it's located in like the muscle in the back of the neck. There's not spinal damage or nerve damage, which is a good sign," the boy's father Stanley Kurek said. "My son was in his bedroom playing Fortnite, and I started hearing gunshots. And my oldest boy said, 'Dad, Ryan got shot.'"

He was taken to Methodist Northlake Hospital before being transferred to University of Chicago Medical Center for further treatment.

"He's in stable condition, a lot of X-rays and CT scans. I think we've seen like eight or nine doctors today," Kurek said.

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Authorities say, while investigators still secured the crime scene, three Gary men, ages 18 to 22, involved in the shootout showed up at a local hospital with gunshot wounds.

Sources say they all remain hospitalized, and may be under arrest.

The neighborhood where the shooting occurred, in southwest Gary, is normally quiet.

"It's supposed to be America. You are supposed to be able to sit in your living room, walk down your street without having to worry," neighbor Bob Kitchens said.

A stray bullet lodged in a home and blew out the windows of an SUV.

Family at Comer Children's Hospital is praying for the best.

"We're kind of just in limbo, waiting for the doctors to come up with a game plan, whether they are going to leave the bullets and fragments inside him and possibly come back at a later date and remove it," Kurek said.

No one else was hurt.

Detectives say the dispute and subsequent shootout had nothing to do with the boy or his family.

Police said it was an isolated incident, and there is no immediate threat to the community.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sgt. Jervean Gates of the Violent Crimes Division at 219-881-1209.