An 11-year-old girl shot with a stray bullet fired during a street chase in the Bronx on Monday afternoon has died, according to Mayor Eric Adams.
The victim apparently succumbed to her injuries at Lincoln Hospital, police sources confirmed. Adams had announced the youngster’s death while attending a Harlem memorial vigil on Monday night for those slain in the May 14 domestic terrorist attack in Buffalo.
The child was the latest youngster caught in the line of a brazen shooter’s fighter in the Bronx this year, and it left Assistant Chief Timothy McCormack, commander of the Bronx Detective Bureau, expressing frustration with the state of gun violence.
“This is very, very difficult for us to accept. This is the second child that’s shot in this borough this year, an 11-month-old and now an 11-year-old,” he said. “It is troubling that this is happening in our society today when the NYPD. we know how to fight crime and we’re doing it to the best of our ability. And I think the other parts of the criminal justice system need to step up and take their responsibility for what’s going on.”
Law enforcement sources said the incident happened just before 4:50 p.m. on May 16 in the area of Westchester Avenue and Fox Street in Foxhurst.
According to Assistant Chief Philip Rivera, commanding officer of Patrol Borough Bronx, the trouble began as two men on a scooter chased the intended male target through the area. While on Fox Street, one of the scooter rider’s pulled out a gun and opened fire at the man.
“One round traveled down Fox Street and struck the 11-year-old, who was standing in front of 993 Fox St.,” Rivera said.
The child, who was with family at the time, was about a half-block away from where the shot was fired, McCormack added.
Officers from the 41st Precinct responded to the shooting and assisted EMS units in getting her to Lincoln Hospital. Police have not yet released her identity.
So far, no arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation, police said. Rivera said the NYPD currently needs the public’s help in identifying both the scooter shooter and the intended target.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
This story was updated on May 16 at 9:25 p.m.
