7-year-old boy fatally shot in East Chicago

Update: The boy was struck in the head when someone opened fire on the van he was riding in, the city's police chief said.

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (AP) — A 7-year-old boy was fatally shot early Tuesday in East Chicago, the Lake County Coroner’s Office said.

Jeremiah Moore died from a gunshot wound to the head in a homicide, the coroner’s office said in a news release.

East Chicago officers were dispatched shortly after 1:00 a.m. to near the 3500 block of Block Avenue after their ShotSpotter system alerted five rounds were fired nearby, police said. They did not find anyone there, but officer's immediately proceeded to the local hospital to check for any drop off injuries.

While checking the local emergency room at St. Catherine’s Hospital, a white van with family members pulled up with two adults, three children, a firearm with spent shell casings, and blood spatter delivering the victim to the emergency room. All was secured for investigation.

Jeremiah was pronounced dead at 1:28 a.m., the news release said.

The boy was identified by family members, the release said. His address is unknown at this time.

Additional details on the circumstances surrounding the shooting were not immediately released.

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