Police: mother's boyfriend is person of interest in fatal shooting of 3-year-old

DETROIT (WJBK) - A 3-year-old boy shot in the face Wednesday night on Detroit's east side has died.

Police are looking for the boyfriend of the child's mother, Demetrius Lorenzo Peals, as a person of interest in the case.

 Investigators believe it was Peals who carried the child out of an apartment in the 11700 block of Rossiter near Morang Avenue where the shooting happened after 7 p.m. Police are still looking for him.

The shooting happened inside the bedroom of the apartment. Peels is known to have a background that includes breaking and entering.

The mother told police the boyfriend was having an argument over breaking and entering with neighbors who then shot into the apartment, hitting the child. Police say her story does not match up with evidence which indicates the shooting happened inside the apartment.

Police say the child was inside the apartment with his mother and his 1-year-old sibling at the time.

"I came out on the top and heard Kiencha say 'My baby, my baby,'" said neighbor Mia Prince. 

Prince said she went into the home to check on a sibling of the child.

"I went in to check on the little baby and there was blood everywhere," she said.

"There was a whole bunch of commotion," said another witness. "I saw them running out with the baby." 

It is unclear if the child shot himself, or if someone shot him.

Peals is described as black, 5 feet, 9 inches and 175 pounds. If you know where he is, contact Detroit police immediately (313) 596-5200.