A week after 8-year-old Peyton James “PJ” Evans was killed by a stray bullet during a shooting outside a Landover apartment, authorities have increased the reward money for tips on the case to a total of $35,000.

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       The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division announced Tuesday that it would give up to $10,000 to anyone with information that leads to an arrest in PJ’s killing.

       That money is in addition to a $25,000 reward already pledged by the Prince George’s County Police Department, which is investigating the case.

       8-year-old PJ Evans, fatally struck by a stray bullet, remembered for gentle soul and NFL ambitions

       Authorities and family have said that PJ, a rising third-grader, was playing video games and enjoying Taco Tuesday with his family on the evening of Aug. 24 when a shooting erupted outside the apartment he was in on Brightseat Road in Landover.

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       The bullets sprayed from a white sedan, which had pulled into a parking lot before an occupant or occupants opened fire on a group of adults gathered outside, police said.

       PJ, sitting inside at the living room table of a relative’s home, was hit and later died at a hospital, police and family said.

       The white sedan sped away, police said.

       “We offer our condolences to Peyton’s family for their tremendous loss,” ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones said in a statement announcing the reward. “Peyton should have been able to spend the evening enjoying being a kid — playing video games after football practice, having dinner with his family, and getting ready to return to school soon. But instead, someone stole all of that without a second thought.”

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       Family members described the boy as a “gentle soul” and a “big old teddy bear” who loved to snuggle with his mom on the sofa. He dreamed of playing football in the NFL and, even at just 8 years old, trained at the Gibson Performance Training center in Capitol Heights. PJ, who loved dancing to Disney songs and Michael Jackson, was also a hugger.

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       “He didn’t even have the opportunity to experience life,” the boy’s uncle, Antoine Dotson, told The Washington Post last week.

       Those with information about the case are encouraged to contact ATF at 888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477) or Prince George’s police at 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477).

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