DETROIT – Eight-year-old Jakari Pearson's Detroit home is a crime scene.
Bullet holes are sprayed across the brick walls, window and bedroom walls where the boy was sleeping when he was shot in the chest.
"This was a little boy who loved baseball. He was a great swimmer, he took lessons at the ‘Y,'" said Pearson's great aunt, Denise Berry. "He was just a little boy who loved life, I can't wrap my head around this."
The gunfire erupted around 1 a.m. Wednesday at the home in the 600 block of East Street.
Pearson was rushed to a hospital, but died.
When Pearson's father, Jamare, arrived at the scene, he was in shock.
"I don't know what happened," he said. "This was senseless crime, a generation is gone. They took my damn son."
Was he the target? Police said they are looking into whether the shooting was committed by an ex-boyfriend of the boy's mother, or someone who was stalking her. Bullet casings found at the scene indicate the weapon used was an assault rifle, police said.
Police said they have a person of interest in custody, but are not yet releasing any more details.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Detroit Police Department Homicide Department 313-596-2260 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.