By Diana XinThe Daily Northwestern

Evanston police are continuing to investigate the death of a local 4-year-old boy after a shooting incident early Wednesday morning in his home on the 1800 block of Dodge Avenue.

The boy, Aaron Morales, died from a gunshot wound to his chest after he was taken to Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago for surgery, according to a press release. Officials said they believe the gun went off when the boy was playing with it, wounding him.

Police had made no arrests in connection with the investigation Thursday afternoon, Deputy Chief Joseph Bellino of the Evanston Police Department said. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office performed an autopsy Thursday, but results will not be released until the police investigation has concluded.

Police searched the house for evidence with a special forensics unit Thursday. They removed police tape from the property at about 6:30 p.m.

Bellino said that he could not confirm who was in the house at the time of the incident or any other details of the investigation.

The boy’s family could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

Some neighbors said the shooting was not the first incident in the neighborhood.

“It’s a concern because it was a child that was shot,” said Calandra Webster, who lives on the block. “But it’s not surprising it happened to that family. They’re known for trouble.”

Webster said the family had about 15 children. She said she believed the family had been in the area for more than 20 years.

“The neighbors don’t know them, but they know about them,” Webster said. “They’re a close-knit family who ran together.”

The North Regional Major Crimes Task Force and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services are investigating the case.

Jimmie Whitelow, a department spokesman, said they had not worked with the Morales family before this.

But neighbors said officers weren’t strangers in the neighborhood.

“Police were always there,” Webster said.

Reach Diana Xin at [email protected].