ROCKFORD — A toddler was shot today when the vehicle he was in was struck by gunfire.

About 12:40 p.m., Rockford police responded to a local hospital regarding a report of a 1-year-old boy who arrived with a gunshot wound. The child's injury is not life-threatening, Rockford Police Lt. Shawn Ross said.

The incident occurred in the 3100 block of Prial Avenue near the Rockton Avenue Shopping Center.

According to residents in the neighborhood, the gunfire came from another vehicle.

Tasha Cruz, 35, a Prial Avenue resident, said she heard as many as 20 gunshots.

"It's sad," she said. "That baby had nothing to do with it."

Cruz and other residents said this was the second time in two weeks that such an incident had taken place. The other shooting involving passing vehicles occurred at the other end of the block near Prial and Overdene avenues.

Neighborhood resident Ernest Walker, 25, the father of two children, ages 6 and 4 months, said police routinely patrol the area and responded quickly to today's incident.

"You just never know when this stuff is going to happen," he said. "They do it in broad daylight now."

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Rockford Police Department at 815-966-2900 or Crime Stoppers at 815-963-7867.

Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen