11-year-old Richmond girl in critical condition; 17-year-old boy in custody, police say.
A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a Thursday shooting of an 11-year-old girl, Richmond police say.
About 5 p.m. Thursday, the Wayne County Emergency Operations Center received a report from Reid Health about the 11-year-old girl arriving with a gunshot wound, prompting RPD officers to begin an investigation, police said in a press release Friday morning.
Preliminary investigations from RPD suggest the shooting occurred at a residence in the first block of South 18th Street, where several people were present at the time of the incident, police said in the news release.
A 17-year-old male juvenile has been preliminarily charged with criminal recklessness and dangerous possession of a firearm with a prior conviction, both Level 5 felonies, police say. The male has been taken to a detention facility in Terre Haute.
The 11-year-old girl was taken from Reid to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis for further treatment and remains in critical condition as of Friday morning.
“This tragic incident serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating consequences when firearms are not handled responsibly,” RPD Chief Kyle Weatherly said in the release. “Every gun owner has an absolute duty to ensure weapons are stored securely and kept out of the reach of children.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with this young girl and her family as they endure this unimaginable ordeal,” he said. “As a community, we must work together to prevent senseless tragedies like this and ensure the safety of every child in Richmond.”
The Richmond Police Department did not immediately respond to questions about who owned the gun or whether the witnesses were all juveniles. This story will be updated.
