A 6-year-old boy was fatally shot on Friday, caught in the middle of a suspected road rage incident while riding inside a car being driven by his mother in Orange County, California.
According to CNN, the California Highway Patrol said the little boy was in a booster seat in the vehicle’s back seat traveling northbound on the 55 Freeway when he was struck by gunfire. He was then transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities are asking the public to be on the lookout for a white sedan.
California Highway Patrol Officer Florentino Olivera said police are interested in talking to anyone who was driving northbound on the 55 Freeway between Chapman Avenue and the 22 Freeway shortly before 8:00 am and especially those who may have a dash camera on their car.
“If you were driving by, you saw something that was not right, call it in,” Officer Olivera said. “Even if it wasn’t something major, call our office. We want to hear from witnesses.”
Family members identified the 6-year-old as Aiden Leos. A GoFundMe campaign was set up to raise funds for his family.
Aiden’s sister, Alexis Cloonan, stated that the boy’s mother is “not doing well, because it’s every mother’s worst nightmare. She had to hold him while he was dying.”
