- Two of the victims in the Highland Park shooting were the parents of toddler Aiden McCarthy.
- The father, Kevin McCarthy, died protecting his son, the father-in-law told The Chicago Sun-Times.
- "He had Aiden under his body when he was shot," the father-in-law said.
One of the victims of the July Fourth shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, used his own body to protect his two-year-old son from the 21-year-old shooting suspect.
Kevin McCarthy, 37, died shielding his son Aiden McCarthy, Michael Levberg, the man's father-in-law, told The Chicago Sun-Times. The child was not injured, CBS News reported.
"He had Aiden under his body when he was shot," Levberg said.
The boy's mother, and Levberg's daughter, Irina McCarthy, 35, also died in the mass shooting that killed seven people and injured dozens more.
The tragic details of the moments just before the McCarthys' deaths come after parade-goers found Aiden wandering alone in the chaotic streets, covered in blood, according to CBS.
Lauren Silva, 38, and her boyfriend found the child, The Daily Beast reported.
Silva told the outlet that the child kept asking, "Are mom and dad coming back soon?"
Authorities later reported that his parents were victims of the shooting. Aiden has since been reunited with his grandparents.
An organizer set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Aiden with permission from family members, according to the fundraising post.
"Aiden will be cared for by his loving family and he will have a long road ahead to heal, find stability, and ultimately navigate life as an orphan," the organizer wrote. "He is surrounded by a community of friends and extended family that will embrace him with love, and any means available to ensure he has everything he needs as he grows."