INDIANAPOLIS – A 4-year-old boy is hospitalized after shots were fired into a home on Indy’s near north side.

Police said nearly a dozen gunshots were fired from an alley behind a home near 30^th and Delaware.

The shooting took place around 9:30 Tuesday night. The 4-year-old boy who was wounded had been staying with family at an Airbnb.

Police are still investigating the motive for the violence, but this is not the first crime to impact the same family in recent weeks.

“I mean it’s wild especially when you hear a kid got shot. That’s the craziest thing,” said neighbor Conner Beswick.

“It’s just appalling,” said Charles Harrison.

Reverend Charles Harrison lives in the same neighborhood and is disgusted that an innocent child was hurt when bullets shattered a window on the back of the home.

“This has to be unacceptable in this city. It cannot be tolerated any longer. We’re losing too many children from this kind of recklessness,” said Harrison.

“A toddler and their family should not have to be in this type of situation,” said IMPD Lt. Shane Foley. “It’s unacceptable, and it’s unnecessary.”

For their part, police believe the home was specifically targeted.

Police reports also confirm the family of the injured child is related to 18-year-old Kenzel Bones who was shot and killed buying a drink inside a food mart on W. Michigan earlier this month.

Court records show murder charges were filed this week against 19-year-old Curtis Williams, although the reason for that killing was never released.

“The family is going through some other tragedy,” said Foley. “That really adds to the sense of urgency and the desire to try to find out exactly who’s responsible for this.”

Sadly, kids wounded or killed by stray bullets in Indianapolis has become all too common. Just last month a 10-year-old was shot while sleeping at a home on E. 21^st Street.

In recent years, 12-year-old Dayshawn Bills was killed playing a video game inside his grandmother’s home on Leland Avenue in May 2021.

In March 2020, 8-year-old Rodgerick Payne Jr. died when he was hit by a stray bullet while eating dinner inside his home on Tacoma.

Going back to 2015, 10-year-old Deshaun Swanson was killed following a drive-by shooting at a home in Butler-Tarkington.

All those deaths remain unsolved.

“I mean we can go on and on and name children that are victims of this kind of reckless shooting and it really has to stop,” said Harrison.

Police did not have a description of suspects to release in the Delaware shooting, but anyone with information is asked to contact either IMPD or Crime Stoppers at (317) 262-TIPS.

A spokesperson with Airbnb sent the following information regarding the shooting:

We are horrified that such senseless gun violence could impact an innocent child.

We have reached out to our Host, booking guest and the Indianapolis Metro Police Department to offer our support and better understand what prompted this attack.

Out of an abundance of caution and for the privacy of our Host, we have temporarily deactivated this listing.