JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Jackson police are searching for a suspect after a 12-year-old was shot in the back this weekend.

The shooting happened late Saturday night near Woodrow Wilson and Powers Avenue.

According to Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade, the 12-year-old boy was with his uncle at the time of the shooting. The police chief said more must be done to protect the youth in the capital city, but the community and police must work together.

After the incident, Wade said the 12-year-old was taken home to his mother by his uncle instead of the hospital. The police chief said the situation was odd and raised several red flags. It’s not clear whether the uncle was the intended target, but Wade said they’re conducting a deep dive into what happened.

“We are yet to get a formal statement from the uncle. We hope to get that today. My team has been reaching out to him, and hopefully, he can shed some light on what happened to this child because no 12-year-old should have to deal with the trauma of being shot. And this child was not by himself. He was with an adult, but that adult, we hope that he can shed some light on this. As I stated, he didn’t immediately seek medical help for his nephew. He took him home,” the police chief said.

Anyone with information about the shooting can contact the Jackson Police Department (JPD) at 601-960-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 601-355-TIPS (8477).