Watch CBS News

Sleeping Woman Critical After Being Struck By Stray Bullet

By Jericka Duncan and Elizabeth Hur

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – She thought she was safe inside her home but a woman, lying asleep, got shot in the head.

It happened Friday afternoon in the 5800 block of Morton Street in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

According to police, the victim is a 58-year-old grandmother. She was lying in bed upstairs when she was hit in the face by a stray bullet. Police say her daughter was downstairs with four children.

"It's heartbreaking," Cherlyn Ezekieo is a neighbor and she added, "I know those kids. They could have been shot over something stupid. It's ridiculous."

Lt. George McClay with the Philadelphia Police Department explained, "There were approximately 13 rounds fired from 100 yards away from her house and one of them went into her window."

Police say the flying bullets also damaged two cars. Both cars are now being examined for clues as police don't have much more to go on. Neighbors are claiming they know little about what happened.

"The neighborhood's telling us that there's a silver car that drives by and someone, they won't tell us who, fires at this car that's driving by," Lt. McClay said.

So the search continues for the shooter and a motive, frustrating for family and friends of the innocent victim -- now forced to spend Christmas in the hospital.

Ezekieo said, "I just wish they would stop because it's not doing anything but tearing our community apart. We need to build everything back up. It just doesn't make any sense."

As of late Friday night, the victim was in serious condition. Her family asked that we respect their privacy and declined to comment.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.