Detroit police are searching for a man they say shot a 2-year-old boy Tuesday on the city’s east side.

Police said the child was in stable condition Tuesday night, though the alleged shooter remained at large.

Authorities were dispatched to the 500 block of Dickerson Avenue, between Freud Street and Essex Avenue, at 6:48 p.m. for a report that a child had been shot, Interim Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison said.

Investigators believe Darius Lacey, 27, arrived at his ex’s home and went inside to move some items out of the house. Inside he encountered his ex’s new boyfriend, Bettison said.

“Ex-boyfriend gets into shootout with new boyfriend and in the exchange of gunfire his child was shot,” Bettison said.

The child was shot in the thigh and the bullet went all the way through his leg, police said.

Investigators were still working to piece together more details, including which of the men fired the first shot.

Bettison said at least 15 shell casings were discovered at the scene.

As of Tuesday night, police were searching for Lacey, who fled the scene with two companions in a black Dodge Charger, Bettison said. He was confident Lacey would be arrested soon.

“The public in general isn’t in danger. It was a domestic so I’m not as concerned there,” Bettison said, “but, we will have him apprehended shortly.”

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

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