10-year-old girl suffers wounds to both legs in Reading shooting
READING, Pa. (WPVI) -- A 10-year-old girl in Reading, Berks County is recovering after she was shot while sitting in her mother's car.
The victim's father, who asked we not reveal his identity, says his daughter is having a hard time processing what happened.
He says she is traumatized and doesn't want to come home from the hospital. He says it's hard for him too because he works nights, but feels like he should've been there to protect his family.
It was right around 8:30 Monday night when the young victim was in the passenger seat of the family vehicle as her mother was circling the block looking for a parking spot.
Suddenly, someone nearby carrying a gun started unloading his weapon.
One of the bullets pierced the car door, travelled through one of the little girl's legs, then it entered the other leg and now remains lodged in her thigh bone.
Carmen Ramos, the victim's aunt, says she does not believe the little girl or her mother were the intended targets. She says she is all but certain that this was an accident.
She says the little girl and her parents have lived in the area for a long time and never had a problem with anyone, and that the little girl is a real angel.
Family members also say doctors at Reading Hospital are still deciding whether to surgically remove the bullet from her thigh bone or leave it there. The decision hinges on which choice doctors believe will cause the least harm.
The girl's father says it's tough because his daughter has been taking dance lessons and wants to be a ballerina.
He says, "Now, we don't know how this will affect her ability to walk, much less dance. So, we're taking it day by day and praying for the best."
No arrests have been made in this case. Anyone with any information is asked to call Reading police.
