15-Year-Old Girl Shot In Head By Stray Gunfire At Jerome Brown Playground In Tioga, Philadelphia Police Say
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police say a teen girl was shot on a basketball court in Philadelphia's Tioga section Tuesday night. It happened at the Jerome Brown Playground at 20th and West Ontario Streets just before 9 p.m.
Police say the 15-year-old girl was just doing what she loved, at one of her regular spots, when the latest round of gun violence found her.
The teen was just shooting hoops - in clear view of surveillance cameras - when police say she was hit by stray gunfire.
"It's very tragic," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said. "It shows this 15-year-old female actively playing basketball, actually dribbling the basketball, when she suddenly collapses when she gets shot."
Investigators say the surveillance video also shows at least 10 other people at the playground when the gunfire erupted. But no one except the victim remained when police arrived.
"When police arrived in location, she was laying face down in the basketball court all by herself," Small said.
The teenager was rushed to Temple University Hospital, shot in the head, and in extremely critical condition.
Meantime, the crime scene unit scoured the scene for ballistic evidence. Detectives continue to review surveillance video, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person or people responsible.
Police are also trying to determine a motive behind this act - that has once again impacted a child and her community forever.
"She's known to the staff here. They say that she's a really nice girl," Small said. "She also lives one half a block away from this location where she was shot."
Police are still searching for the gunman. They need those people who were at the basketball court on Tuesday night to step forward as eyewitnesses. Anyone with information should call police.
For a list of gun violence resources in Philadelphia, click here.
Jan Carabeo contributed to this report.
