4-year-old critically injured in shooting in Tuskegee Saturday

TUSKEGEE, Ala. (WSFA) - A 4-year-old was critically injured in a drive-by shooting Saturday afternoon, Tuskegee police said.

Police said the shooting happened at 5 p.m. Saturday at Pleasant Street Apartments off Pleasant Springs Drive in Tuskegee. When officers arrived, they found the victim with a single gunshot wound.

Tuskegee Police Chief Lloyd Jenkins said a stray bullet entered the child’s apartment complex, striking him in the head.

The 4-year-old boy is now in critical condition and is fighting for his life in the hospital.

“The child is in critical condition but we are praying that the child does pull through,” Jenkins said.

According to police, the victim was taken to Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery, and then to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham.

So far no suspects have been identified and investigation is still underway.

“We are still currently following up on leads, and hopefully we can get these suspects identified and taken into custody because this is a simple, senseless act of violence,” Jenkins said.

“We are going to catch them,” Jenkins added. “We are not going to stop until we catch them. And if anybody knows anything, I am begging that they step up and they tell what they saw and they tell what they know.”

Macon County Emergency Management Agency Director Frank H. Lee said this senseless act is just another example of the ongoing gun violence in the state.

“I am sick and tired of gun violence not only in Macon County, but in our region,” Lee said. “And while we are fighting a pandemic that’s taking lives daily, gun violence is just as equally as lethal as the pandemic. And so we are going to work with our citizens and we want to just ask everyone to put the guns down and let’s work together and try to resolve not only COVID-19, but this pandemic of gun violence in Macon County.”

Police are looking for the suspect or suspects involved in the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tuskegee Police Department at 334-727-0200, the secret witness line at 334-727-9865 or Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP.

The Macon County EMA and the police department said they are working with the governor’s office to raise award money for information in the case.