Supporters Offer $54K and Safe Haven for Any Information on Murder of 9-Year-Old Tyshawn Lee

(Complex) On Monday, 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee was shot several times at close range in an alley near his grandmother's house in Chic...

(Complex)

On Monday, 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee was shot several times at close range in an alley near his grandmother's house in Chicago. Despite the police's questioning of a "person of interest" on Monday, no information on Lee's killer has come to light. Now police and community members are offering a $54,000 reward, as well as safe housing and relocation, to anyone with information that leads to an arrest, ABC 7 reports.

"Come stay in my house until we relocate you, you can stay here, whatever it takes," said Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church. "But please do not allow this murderer to walk around." Pam Bosley, whose own son was shot and killed in 2006, echoed Pfleger's words: "[People] have to go home. They have families. They're trying to save their children. I get both sides, but my concern is if you don't talk, the person that shot...is going to shoot again."

Chicago police superintendent Garry McCarthy said officials believe Lee was targeted and lured to the alley as retaliation for his father's gang involvement. "We believe that this is the most recent in a series of gang-related violent events," he said. "We believe Tyshawn's father [Pierre Stokes] has ties to a gang that is in conflict with another gang." Police are looking into Stokes' possible enemies, but Stokes is frustrated with what he sees as police's focus on him as opposed to his son. "Y'all are more worried about me," he said. "Worry about the person who killed my son."

Pfleger, who set up a GoFundMe to collect additional reward money, was adamant in his pleas for a witness to come forward. "A baby was executed," he said. "A baby was assassinated in this alley. We have gone to a new low."