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4-year-old boy killed, mother hurt in Indiana shooting, reports say

GARY, Ind. — A shooting outside an Indiana apartment claimed the life of a 4-year-old boy Monday morning and left his pregnant mother injured, according to multiple reports.

The boy, identified as Tory’on Dukes, and his mother were sleeping in a bed together in the apartment when they were shot around 1 a.m., WBBM-TV reported. Tory’on’s mother was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound to her arm and graze wounds on her face, according to WGN-TV.

Update 12:35 p.m. EST Dec. 16: Citing family members, WBBM-TV reported the 4-year-old killed Monday morning has been identified as Tory’on Dukes.

Tory’on’s grandmother, who was not identified by name, told WBBM-TV the boy’s father was killed two months ago in Chicago.

At least 20 shots were fired early Monday, striking the side of the apartment where Tory’on was killed, WLS-TV reported.

“Here we got somebody outside shooting into this housing development -- what are we, ten days away from Christmas?” Gary police Commander Jack Hamady told WLS-TV. “She just lost her youngest child, which is the 4-year-old. It’s a tough tragedy.”

WGN-TV reported six people were in the apartment during the shooting, including Tory’on, his mother, his mother’s boyfriend and three other children. Tory’on’s mother, who is three-months pregnant, was in stable condition after the shooting, according to the news station.

Authorities continue to investigate.

Original report: A 4-year-old boy died and his mother was injured after someone opened fire Monday morning outside their Indiana apartment, striking them inside the home.

According to WGN-TV, police responded to the Gary apartment complex about 1 a.m. Monday after receiving a call about a shooting. There, they found a boy who had been struck by a bullet, as well as his 27-year-old mother, whose arm had been shot and face grazed, the TV station reported.

Emergency crews rushed the pair to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced the boy dead, WGN and WLS reported. The mother’s condition is stable, according to WGN.

Information about the victims’ identities, possible suspects or potential motives were not immediately available, WLS reported.

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