CHICAGO (CBS) — A 12-year-old girl is fighting to survive after she was hit by a stray bullet Tuesday night in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, and police have announced a $15,000 reward for information leading to the shooter.
“The Chicago Police Department will bring the full force of this department to solve this crime. This was heinous, reckless, senseless, and the gangs involved – and you know who you are – we’re coming after you,” Police Supt. David Brown said Wednesday afternoon. “We want to send a strong message to these violent offenders that this won’t be tolerated in the city of Chicago, and that there will be a price to pay in the criminal justice system for you. So the full brunt of every resource we have will bear down on the gang responsible for this. Officers will work around the clock. Our detectives will be relentless in solving this crime.”
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Police said the girl was in a car with her family in the 7200 block of South Oakley Avenue around 7:45 p.m. when someone started shooting from the street, and a bullet hit the girl in the head.
She was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
Brown said the girl had just celebrated her birthday and was on her way back from a birthday dinner with her family when she was shot.
Police sources said three men were in the area when they saw a car pass by. One of them pulled out a gun and started shooting at the car.
As this was happening, the 12-year-old girl was with a relative in the back seat of another car that was going by.
That relative heard gunshots and then realized the girl had been hit in the back of her head.
They drove to Holy Cross Hospital, and then the girl was transferred to Comer Children’s Hospital.
Police sources said she has severe brain injuries. At last check, she’s still in critical condition.
No one was in custody Wednesday morning. Area One detectives were investigating.
Brown said detectives are reviewing surveillance video footage to identify the cars involved in the shooting.
“But the people were on the street when this happened. So someone knows something. They can solve this crime,” he said.
The superintendent said a $15,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
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Anyone with information is asked to call the anonymous CPD tip line at 833-408-0069 or submit a tip on the CPD website.
