On Saturday night, July 8, a family’s celebration turned to mourning as a nine-year-old boy was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting in the Franklin Park suburb of Chicago. The young boy, Ulysses Campos, was innocently playing outside at his grandmother’s 70th birthday party when an unidentified assailant opened fire from a nearby alley.
Law enforcement stated that around 10:15 pm, an individual inside a moving vehicle fired approximately four to six rounds. Young Ulysses was tragically caught in the crossfire. Following the incident, he was rushed to Loyola Hospital where, despite the medical team’s best efforts, he succumbed to his injuries. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed the news.
A vehicle that law enforcement believes might be connected to the crime was later found in Leyden Township. Despite this development, the motives behind the shooting remain unclear, and it is yet to be determined whether Ulysses was the intended target or an innocent victim of a reckless act.
In the wake of their loss, Ulysses’ family remembered the young boy as an energetic and enthusiastic child who loved Batman and video games. His death is a profound sorrow to his family and friends, especially given that his 10th birthday was just two weeks away.
A GoFundMe page has been established by a family member to help with funeral costs. Describing Ulysses as a loving and vivacious child, the page pays tribute to the boy affectionately known as “Uly Bear,” capturing the heartbreak of a life so tragically cut short.