CHICAGO (WLS) — Mateo Zastro, 3, was shot and killed on Friday night while riding in the back seat of his mother’s car.
Mateo was the victim of what police described as a road rage incident in Chicago’s West Lawn neighborhood. On Monday evening, his family and their supporters got ready to honor him with a vigil near their home.
“They’re just shocked. They still can’t believe this has happened,” said Eddie Guillen, a community organizer. “We’re coming together as a community, to be there to show support. This is, again, a very difficult time.”
And while no arrests have been made, police made it clear that there is more than one person out there who can lead them to their shooter.
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“Based upon what we do have, I know I’m being a little bit cryptic, but we do have evidence to show that people out there know who committed this act and we ask for them to come forward, even if it is anonymously, through a tip,” said CPD Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenhihan
Mateo was not the only child shot in Chicago this weekend. A 7-year-old boy is at Comer Children’s Hospital, recovering from surgery after being struck in the leg on Sunday morning. He was also riding in the back of his parents’ car.
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The family was, according to police, arriving at a Roseland church, when they saw and followed a man who was allegedly breaking into a relative’s vehicle. That man was arrested following the incident.
“The 7-year-old is pretty resilient. He handled it like a champ. When you think of a seven year old being shot, what a terrible thing. But, he is doing fine right now, as fine as you can do after an incident like that,” said CPD Deputy Chief Larry Snelling.
According to city data, as of Oct. 1st, 291 teens and children under 19 have been shot in Chicago so far this year. Thirty-nine of them have been killed.
And while police continue to tout a significant decline in overall shootings and homicides in the city relative to last year, the number of children shot and killed in Chicago, is as of Saturday, only down by one.
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