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Child hurt in Chicago shooting recovering

A three-year-old boy shot in the head in last week's Chicago park shooting is recovering and has no brain damage or eye damage.

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Source: AAP


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A three-year-old boy shot in the head in last week's mass shooting at a southwest Chicago park is recovering from surgery, a family spokesman says.

Deonta Howard was among 13 people wounded on Thursday when an unknown number of people shot up a crowded basketball court with an assault rifle.

The family's pastor, the Rev Corey Brooks, said the boy had surgery on Friday.

"There's going to have to be some plastic surgery done later on," Brooks said.

"... Thankfully there was no brain damage or eye damage."

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Police have not announced any arrests as the investigation continues into a shooting that again placed Chicago's gang violence in a national spotlight.

Shootings overnight killed four people around the city and injured four others, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Police say Thursday night's attack at Cornell Square Park in the Back of the Yards neighbourhood was gang-related.

Several gang members were among those shot, though it was not yet clear who the intended target was, police said.

Deonta was among the bystanders, Brooks said, allowed to stay up late to enjoy one of the last warm nights of summer and watch the neighbourhood game with his mother, something he loves doing.

As the gunfire rang out, Deonta was struck just below an ear, and the bullet exited his jaw, Brooks said. The boy remains sedated in intensive care, the pastor said.

Brooks described Deonta as a "real smart little kid" with lots of energy.

"I was told he loves to dance," he said.


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