Family of 3-year-old boy fatally shot in Chicago pleads for justice: 'He was going to get a haircut'

CHICAGO - Faith and community leaders are now offering a $13,000 reward for information leading to the person who shot and killed 3-year-old Mekhi James over Father’s Day weekend.

“He was a good baby, he did not deserve to die like this at all,” said Yvette James, the child’s grandmother.

Mekhi was remembered by loved ones as a beautiful, well-mannered boy who always listened and made you laugh.

“My boy, my boy, he mean the world to me,” said Myesha James, the child’s mother.

With tears coming down her face, Myesha says she wants justice for his death.

Chicago police say Mekhi was shot Saturday evening when someone opened fire as he was in a car in the 600 block of North Central Avenue in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on the West Side.

“He was going to get a haircut,” said Christal Allen, the child’s aunt. “There was no reason he shouldn’t have made it home to come back to say ‘mommy do you like my hair cut?’”

The family says Mekhi’s stepfather was in the car with him when it happened, and that they need closure.

“Justice needs to happen. Someone needs to speak up,” Christal said.

“We don’t know if he was gonna be our doctor, our lawyer, our judge, our football player, our quarterback, we don’t know because you took it away from us,” said Destinie Giles, the child’s godmother.

Loved ones pleaded to whoever cut Mekhi's life short, to come forward.

“You turning yourself in is not gonna bring Mekhi back, but it’ll bring us a little bit of peace,” said Jerrica McGee, the child’s cousin.

A GoFundMe page called "Mekhi James Relief Fund" has been setup to raise money for resources to support the family.