A one-year-old boy was shot dead after a barrage of bullets was fired into a home in an attack police think was either entirely meaningless or a mistake. Bill Thao, who was 13 months old, died Saturday after being hit by a bullet inscribed 'to whom it may concern' - fired by an unknown attacker into his home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The child, who had recently learned to walk, was standing up and playing with toys when a hail of at least 28 bullets was launched around 6.30pm Saturday. Bill was wounded, but still conscious, when he was taken to hospital, but later died. According to Fox6 News, the boy and his mother did not live at the home, but were visiting along with several other children.
Detectives believe more than one gun was used in the attack. They have not arrested anybody in connection with it, or described any suspects, but say they are working on several leads. Kou Thao, Bill's cousin, said Bill had only arrived at the home 15 minutes before he was shot dead.
He told Fox: 'He was standing - playing with toys on a table. We got some veterans from the Vietnam War.
'When they heard the shots they just grabbed all the kids and put them down — so that really helped.'
An uncle, Be Thao, said: 'I feel sad. I feel really sad. We just gather together and cry for the innocent child.'
At a news conference held near the home, Milwaukee officials said the people inside the home appear to have had nothing whatsoever to do with the attack.
City mayor Tom Barrett said: 'I don't know if the shooters were stupid, on drugs...
'I don't know if they had the wrong house - but as far as we can tell, the people in this home had nothing to do with those shots being fired.'
Detectives have not revealed a motive for the crime - though did mention a potentially related report of shots being fired nearby over the previous two days.
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