Police: 6-Year-Old Girl Shot While Playing With Friends In Philadelphia's Belmont Neighborhood
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) -- Police say a 6-year-old girl was shot in Philadelphia's Belmont neighborhood while she was outside playing with friends. It happened on the 900 block of North 42nd Street shortly before 9:30 p.m.
Witnesses said two cars pulled up around the same time and people inside each vehicle soon started shooting at each other. The 6-year-old girl was caught in the crossfire and was shot at least once in the chest.
"My daughter and her neighbor were cooking out and the kids were outside playing -- there was five of them -- cars pulled up and started shooting at someone and the children ran because it sounded like it was firecrackers but it was actually a gun. The one little girl who was with my two grandchildren, they all ran, she started screaming," Gina Harley said.
She is currently in stable condition at Temple University Hospital.
"A young child had been shot. We do know at this point that a 6-year-old little girl has been shot one time in the chest as a result of gunfire, or as a result of crossfire," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said at the scene. "She is in stable condition, we do believe that she will be OK."
Outlaw later released a statement on the shooting, reading in part: "Once again, we find ourselves grieving the senseless shooting of one of our precious children. In this instance, a beautiful 6-year-old girl was shot while enjoying a warm summer evening in her neighborhood. This is not acceptable, this is not normal, and this is not something that we should ever tolerate or become immune to as a society. Our children are our future, and we all have a duty and an obligation to keep our children safe from harm."
Police are searching for suspects and surveillance video that may help. So far, no arrests have been made.
If you have any information about the shooting, contact police.
CBS3's Greg Argos and Jan Carabeo contributed to this report.
For a list of gun violence resources in Philadelphia, click here.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
