4-Year-Old Boy Killed by Stray Bullet in Chicago While Getting Hair Braided

A 4-year-old Alabama boy has died after he was struck by a stray bullet while getting his hair braided at a beautician’s home in Chicago.

As reported by WHNT, the young boy from Decatur, identified as Mychal “MJ” Moultry Jr., was visiting his father Mychal Moultry Sr. in Chicago over Labor Day weekend as Mychal Sr. is finishing up work in the area.

Last Friday, when Mychal Sr. took his son to a beautician’s home in the 6500 block of South Ellis Avenue to get MJ’s hair braided, two bullets came through a window and struck MJ in the head.

MJ was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital with critical injuries. Sadly, the boy was pronounced dead just before 5 p.m. Sunday after being removed from life support.

Mychal Sr. was not injured in the attack.

At a news conference on Monday, Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown said he believes someone else inside the home was likely the target, and that MJ was an innocent bystander.

Per the Chicago Sun-Times, police say they recovered 27 spent shell casings from a .45-caliber handgun and a 5.7 mm mini rifle. Additionally, authorities said initial police interviews with the boy’s parents and the home’s resident did not reveal a possible motive.

In an emotional interview with the Sun-Times, the boy’s mother Angela — who was also visiting Chicago from Decatur but was not present during the shooting — described her son as a gifted pre-school student who attended Chestnut Elementary School. The newspaper adds that MJ enjoyed trips to the beach and the movie “Cars.”

“They murdered my baby,” Angela said, before asking for the public's help in finding her son’s killer.

When asked about a possible motive for the shooting, Angela replied, “We don’t know what it is or what it’s not, but we just know our baby is not supposed to lose his life at 4 years old, and somebody needs to step up and say something.

“The police don’t know anything yet because no one is talking. No one is coming forward,” she continued. “People aren’t answering their doors, and the people that are answering their doors are saying they don’t know anything… Somebody in Chicago knows something.”

As of this writing, no arrests have been made.

On Tuesday, Angela set up a GoFundMe page aimed at raising funds to spread awareness of MJ’s case and to seek justice for his death.

“My 4 year old son was shot twice in his head. He was murdered while we were visiting Chicago for a family trip. MJ was sitting in a a chair getting his hair done and became the victim of a drive by shooting,” Angela wrote.

“He lost his innocent life. Please donate to help us raise awareness and get justice for my baby. Please, as his parents, we are begging the world for help. This what we need from all of you. Please!”

As of this writing, the page has raised over $15K out of its $25K goal.