Three-year-old boy shot and killed at birthday party

A "murderer" is still on the loose after a three-year-old boy was shot and killed at a birthday party over the weekend.

The shooting happened on Saturday at around 8pm in Florida, a Miami-Dade Police Department statement said.

The boy, aged three, was killed in the shooting, while a female was also injured.

The child has been identified as Elijah LaFrance and CBD Miami revealed the female victim was 21 years old.

Officers responded to an alert and found the toddler at the scene with an apparent gunshot wound, the police statement said.

"The officers swiftly placed the 3 year-old in a police vehicle and transported him to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries," police said.

"As other officers arrived, they discovered a second victim that had also been shot."

The female victim was transported by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to Aventura Hospital in a stable condition.

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The victims were attending a child's birthday party at the residence at the time of the shooting, police said.

The residence where the shooting took place was a short-term rental.

"The subject fled in an unknown direction and remains at large," police said.

CBS reported shots were fired outside the rental following an altercation.

"They killed him. Oh God, he is still on my mind. I was just playing with him," Elijah's uncle Adrian Annestor told CBS.

"I wish it could have been me because I’ve lived long enough. He couldn’t even say mum and dad."

There was outrage following the shooting, with the Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department vowing to apprehend the "murderer".

"I am at another shooting where a toddler has fallen victim to gun violence," Alfredo "Freddy" Ramirez III tweeted.

"My heart hurts, parents should not have to bury their child! We will not rest and will utilise every resource available to bring this murderer to justice. We can’t do it alone, community must step up!"

Police are offering a reward up to $5000 for information which results in an arrest.

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