Broken glass remains near where a young girl was shot Monday just before 3 p.m.
According to police, a 7-year-old girl and her father were walking down 145th Street near Bradhurst Avenue in Harlem.
What You Need To Know
- Police say a 7-year-old girl was walking down West 145th Street in Harlem when she was shot in the stomach
- According to officials, the girl was a not the intended target
- The shooting was gang related, police said
Two men came out from behind a parked car and started shooting, officials said. But instead of hitting their target, police said they shot a little girl in the stomach.
One firearm was recovered, but investigators are looking for another.
City and police department leaders were at the scene.
“Clearly our hearts go out to the family. Never a good thing when a child is the victim,” Mayor Eric Adams said during a new conference.
People in the community described the moments after shots rang out.
“I was upstairs. I heard what I thought was fireworks, and we said who is doing fireworks. I saw people running,” Donald Mahaya, who lives nearby, said.
“I was at home. I heard some shots, then I heard sirens and police activity around,” Adrian Casanova, who lives nearby, said.
Casanova said he wanted to make sure the father was OK.
“I was consoling the dad [to make sure] that he didn’t faint,” Casanova said.
He has young kids and shares what it’s like being a father and hearing this news.
“It’s frustrating, it’s heartbreaking. My son, my stepson, he goes to the nursery right here behind me,” Casanova said. “That could have been me, that could have been my son, my stepson.”
Police said the violence was gang related, and they have two people in custody.