A 12-year-old girl has been shot in the head and killed after being caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting, which left an 18-year-old man fighting for life.
The shooting happened on Thursday night in Hartford, Connecticut. The girl, who has been identified as Secret Pierce, was sitting in a parked car when she was shot in the head.
Three other males, including an 18-year-old, were also shot and police have said they were the intended targets. The 18-year-old is in hospital in critical condition.
The girl was rushed to hospital in critical condition but sadly died the following morning.
“It’s very tragic, very unfortunate. Sickening,” Hartford Police Lt Aaron Boisvert said during a news conference.
The other two males injured, a 16-year-old male and a 23-year-old man, took themselves to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
In a conference on Friday, Mayor Luke Bronin said the three injured men had extensive criminal history and this was a targeted attack.
Secret, a seventh grader who was ooking forward to celebrating her 13th birthday in June, was in a parked car nearby.
Mayor Bronin called it “a painful day in our community.”
He also called on the three injured men to share whatever they know to help find the girl's killer.
Lt Boisvert said the girl "likely had nothing to do with it." Police have said the three males, who were standing on the sidewalk, were the intended targets.
The girl was a 7th grade student at Milner Middle School. The school department said it will have increased support services throughout the day Friday.
Police believe she was the only person in the car. Her mum has been notified.
Police have said CCTV captured footage of a vehicle driving by and shooting at the three men.
They don't know if gunfire was returned. The vehicle description has not yet been released but police said they'll be "all hands on deck" to find it.
When police arrived they found the girl and the 18-year-old severely injured.
Police have said they don't know how many shooters were involved. So far no arrests have been announced.
Lt Boisvert described it as a "very tragic and a very unfortunate incident."
Police have also said the incident was targeted.
The Major Crimes Unit is investigating.
Officers have been knocking doors in the neighbourhood and reviewing surveillance video as a part of their investigation.
A 6-year-old girl was allegedly shot in the face by an "armed and dangerous" man after her basketball accidentally rolled into his garden in North Carolina.
Kinsley White was rushed to hospital after suspect Robert Louis Singletary, 24, came out of his house on Wednesday afternoon and allegedly fired shots across the street after the ball ended up on his property.
He shot three people, including the girls' parents, and allegedly threatened to kill her dad William White, as he tried to shield the pair from the shooter.
Mum Ashley Hilderbrand claims he shouted: “I’m going to kill you” during the horrific attack which left William in hospital where he currently remains.
A fourth person was shot at but did not suffer injuries, according to police.
