4-year-old killed, 7 other children hurt in weekend shootings in Chicago

At least eight children and teenagers were shot in Chicago over the Labor Day weekend.

At least eight children were shot in Chicago over Labor Day weekend, including a 4-year-old boy who was killed when bullets fired outside his home flew through a window and hit him in the head while he was getting a haircut, police said on Monday. A frustrated Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said at a news conference that the children being shot in Chicago are getting caught in the crossfire of criminals and their intended targets, both of whom appear not to care if children are in the way. "I'm not trying to vilify the victim, but these innocent young children should not be the byproduct of your criminal behavior," Brown said. "This is directly to the offenders who are being targeted: You know the life you lead, you know that you're being targeted, or that you've done something to cause this retribution from some rival gang or some rival person. Why are you continuing to be around young people, our children?" Seldom is it the case that children are directly targeted, Brown said, adding that "it's always some other offender, gang member, criminal network, beef" in which adults are targeted and young people nearby "are shot as innocent bystanders."