Community Offers $54,000 Reward to Catch 9-Year-Old's Murderer
On Monday, nine-year-old Chicago resident Tyshawn Lee was shot several times at point blank range and killed in what police believe was act of gang violence. Authorities have since been looking for anyone with any information that may lead to the shooter, but nothing has turned up.
To help with the case, Chicago police and members of Lee's community are offering a safe house, relocation and $54,000 dollars to anyone who comes forward with information leading to the killer. Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church has even offered his own place in hopes of convincing anyone to speak up. "Come stay in my house until we relocate you, you can stay here, whatever it takes, but please do not allow this murderer to walk around,” he said.
Gary McCarthy, Chicago police superintendent, believes Lee’s murder was retaliation for his father’s gang involvement. He said, “We believe that this is the most recent in a series of gang-related violent events. We believe Tyshawn's father [Pierre Stokes] has ties to a gang that is in conflict with another gang.”
Stokes, however is frustrated that attention is focused on him rather than his son. He urges the police to refocus their attention, “Y'all are more worried about me. Worry about the killer. Worry about the person who killed my son.”
McCarthy has called it the, "most abhorrent, cowardly, unfathomable crime that I've witnessed in 35 years of policing."
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(Photo: Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune/TNS via Getty Images)
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