A 7-year-old girl was shot in the stomach after reputed gang members started shooting in the middle of the day on a Harlem street, ABC 7 NY reports. The incident occurred around 3 p.m. on Nov. 11. The girl was riding a pink scooter near West 145th Street and Bradhurst Street; her father was walking alongside her.
Police arrested 19-year-old Daniel Idowu and an unidentified 17-year-old. They have been charged with attempted murder.
The little girl, identified by police as Fatou Keita, was taken to nearby Harlem Hospital in a police vehicle, and officials stated that she arrived there in stable condition. A video reveals Keita’s father picking her up after she was struck by gunfire as the shots continued to fly.
“She was just in total shock looking down at her wound, it was just crazy,” witness Angel Casanova told ABC 7. “Her dad was inconsolable, he was saying that he wished it was him who was shot.”
Authorities said that nine rounds were fired but did not hit their intended target. The shooting was between rival gang members. The suspects came out from behind a parked car and started firing into the street.
CBS News reported that Idowu was also charged with four counts of criminal possession of a weapon. A gun was recovered at the scene.
“It is never a good thing when a child is a victim of a shooting,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. “It’s never good when any innocent bystander is a victim. But, again, I want to commend the quick response from the 30th and 32nd precincts.”
Community leader Dr. Iiesha Sekou said the girl was OK.
“They were distraught, very upset,” Sekou said. “She’s out of surgery. She’s stabilized. It’s not a perfect situation, but she’s doing well … to have endured the kind of trauma to a body that a bullet brings to a child.”
RELATED CONTENT: Clara White Mission Honors Black Veterans With First Memorial Service In Jacksonville Cemetery