Thirteen people, including a three-year-old boy, have been shot at a Chicago basketball court in what authorities believe is a gang-related incident.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that the three-year-old is the most seriously wounded, after a bullet entered one of his ears and exited his mouth.

The Tribune also reported that of the victims drove themself to hospital after the incident.

The shooting occurred just after 10:00pm on Thursday (local time) at Cornell Square Park on Chicago's South Side.

About 60 police officers were reportedly called to the scene.

It comes just days after 12 people were shot dead during a shooting spree at a Washington naval base.

A police dispatcher told AFP that "there were several people shot" in the incident.

"Basically, there have been no fatalities reported and there is no one in custody at this time," the dispatcher said.

Chicago has been torn by gun violence in recent years, racking up more than 500 murders in 2012, according to a report this week by the FBI.

President Barack Obama returned to his adopted hometown earlier this year to appeal for an end to the "senseless" gun violence ravaging Chicago.

Mr Obama is pressing for ambitious gun control measures, which so far have been stalled in the US Congress.

ABC/wires