Person of interest questioned in Belmont Central shooting that killed 7-year-old, wounded sister

A person of interest has been taken into custody in connection with a shooting that left a 7-year-old girl dead and her sister wounded last month in Belmont Central.

The person was being questioned by detectives in the Aug. 15 attack, Chicago police said. Further details were not immediately released.

That day, Serenity Broughton, 7, and her 6-year-old sister Aubrey Broughton were with their mother in a car shortly before 3 p.m. in the 6200 block of West Grand Avenue when they were shot, police said.

Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said Chicago police are working with the Cook County states attorney’s office to bring charges but couldn’t give any details.

“They’re obviously in custody for the specific incident,” Deenihan said at a Friday evening news conference. “I don’t want to give out the details of what they may be responsible for regarding that. They’re not charged at this time.”

Deenihan said the person was taken into custody approximately “a day and a half ago” and they are “coming down to the wire” for bringing those charges before they must release the person. Deenihan said they believe there are more people involved with the shooting and are working to arrest them as well.

Serenity Broughton died from the gunshot wounds she suffered to her chest and torso. Aubrey was hit in the chest and armpit. Neither the girls nor their mother were intended targets, police said.

Regina Broughton, the girls’ grandmother, said the sisters were very close and that “Serenity enjoyed her sister Aubrey the most.”

“Serenity enjoyed just about everything except being told no,” Regina Broughton said in a text message at the time. “She had the potential to be anything she wanted to be. But she was a child. And her baby sister is missing her and doesn’t understand why her big sister ‘Honey,’ as she calls her, isn’t coming home.”