Person of interest taken into custody after 3-year-old fatally shot in Racine

A "person of interest" has been taken into custody after a 3-year-old was fatally shot in Racine.

According to the Racine Police Department, formal charges are pending by the District Attorney's Office.

Earlier Wednesday morning, the child's father found him dead after coming home from his 3rd shift job. He called police shortly after 6:30 a.m.

Neighbors and family say they didn't hear any gunshots likely because of Tuesday night's storm. News of the death spread quickly on Wednesday.

"I got a call this morning at 8 o' clock from my momma. She said someone had been shot and killed."

I made it over here. They said it was a 3-year-old boy, came to find out it was my cousin Jeremiah."

3-year-old Jeremiah Pitts died from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was on the second floor of the home. Racine Police say they retrieved a key piece of evidence on the first floor, the weapon.

"Obviously we don't like to have any homicides in this city but the death of the 3-year-old is probably going to hit us pretty hard. It's a tragedy," said Sgt. Malacara with the Racine Police Department.

 "I was crazy about him. I mean I liked him cause when he come by he's always throwing up his hands 'Hey! Hey!'. I'd tell him 'Hey! Hey!'" said a neighbor.

"I feel it bad. I feel it bad. Terrible. I feel like it was one of mine. When they brought him out he was in a bag. I started crying too," a neighbor said.

Stay with CBS 58 News for more information as this story develops.