Mother cries tears of pain and fury at vigil for 3-year-old boy shot dead in West Lawn
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An emotional vigil was held Monday night for a 3-year-old Chicago boy who was shot and killed while riding in his mom's sport-utility vehicle in West Lawn last week – during what police say was a road rage incident.
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, the boy's killer is still on the loose.
Police Monday night were still running through every tip in the murder of 3-year-old Mateo Zastro – while the child's mother and siblings are forced to keep replaying the horrific image of the child getting shot in front of them.
"They were in the back seat and witnessed their baby brother drop to the floor," said Mateo's mother, Veronica Zastro.
She was filled with emotions as she spoke about the gut-wrenching feeling of losing her youngest son.
"Me and my family are hurting. He was going to turn 4 in December - right before Christmas - and I already started planning and paying for his birthday," Zastro said, "and now we can't even do that."
Chicago Police said someone in a red car pulled up and fired shots as Veronica Zastro drove Mateo and his three siblings last Friday night near 67th Street and Pulaski Road. The family were victims of apparent road rage.
"You let out your f***ing clip on my baby, I will not rest," Zastro said.
Surrounded by family and the West Lawn community, the mother's raw emotions were unleashed Monday night. Zastro said she tried getting away from the car as they drove down Pulaski Road.
"It wasn't necessary to do what you did. You were on my path home. I wasn't following you," she said, "and you then you decided to plot against me and my babies - and I won't sleep until you are brought in."
Prayers also filled the exact corner where the family pulled over that night. Those in the crowd wrote love messages on balloons.
Mateo's mom's balloon message echoed what she told supporters – "I will not rest until there's justice."
Everyone reflected on a young life ripped away.
"We need change now. We need to wake up to what's going on now," said Mateo's grandmother, Rachael Hermosillo. "This violence has to end."
The family and community want the road rage shooter caught – or for him to have a heart.
"Turn yourself in, because my pain is starting to turn to anger," Zastro said.
Zastro said two cars may have been racing and she might not have gotten out of the way in time – which in turn may have been why she was targeted. But the case remains under investigation.
Police said they are reviewing surveillance in the area, but are hoping the community will provide the tip in solving the case.
All the siblings witnessed their brother get shot in the head, but the mother says the trauma is affecting the oldest the hardest, because she was fully aware of everything that happened.
