The shooting took place around 7:15 p.m. Friday in Beloit, on the Illinois border about 65 miles from Milwaukee . Austin Ramos, Jr., who was called Junior, was in the back of his father’s car at a Beloit intersection when an SUV pulled up next to it. Shots were fired from the SUV and the five-year-old was struck in the abdomen. He was rushed to Beloit Memorial Hospital where he later died.
No one else was injured and the boy’s father is cooperating with the police. Police are not sure who the intended target was.
Police say they are also not sure how many shots were fired but the boy’s father was not hit. They have no suspects or even a description of the suspects and do not know how many people were in the SUV. The vehicle is described as a late 1990s or early 2000s maroon-coloured SUV. Police are now going through surveillance video from the area in an attempt to get a better description.
According to Alicia Martinez, the boy’s grandmother, the SUV had been following the boy’s father’s car closely before it pulled alongside the vehicle. Martinez said Junior “…was a five-year-old baby. He was innocent. He was taken from his mom and dad and his whole family. If they know anything, could they please, please report it.”
On their Facebook page, the Beloit Police Department is asking for the public’s help. The shooting happened very close to a Piggly Wiggly store in a busy area and police believe others must have seen the shooting.
Great Clips, the company that employs Junior’s mother, is asking the community for financial help to pay hospital bills and funeral expenses. A GoFundMe page was started and, at the time of this writing has raised more than $13,000.
A vigil for Junior is being planned for today.
