13-year-old girl remains in critical condition after being shot in neck in Evanston

EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) -- Evanston police say whoever shot a 13-year-old girl Monday evening fired 10 rounds into a backyard where kids were gathered.

As CBS 2's Tim McNicholas reported Tuesday, the girl remained in critical condition at Lurie Children's Hospital nearly 24 hours after she was shot in the neck.

Police said around 6:20 p.m., someone fired over a fence into a backyard near Fowler Avenue and Dempster Street on Evanston's west side. Kids were gathered in that yard for a party at the time.

Officers say the shooting was not random, but the 13-year-old girl was not the intended target. But they wouldn't answer our questions about whom the shooter may have been aiming for.

"It leaves scars on our community that are often very hard to heal," said Evanston police Sgt. Kenny Carter.

Another 13-year-old girl, who lives nearby and spoke to us with her dad's permission, said she was just a couple doors down and heard the gunshots.

"I just hear, 'Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop!' I'm like, what is that?" said the girl, Kaymie St. Jean. "It made me feel sad because I'm her age. imagine if that was me in that situation."

As doctors at Lurie Children's Hospital worked to save the wounded girl's life, detectives on Tuesday canvassed the neighborhood where the shooting happened. Kaymie said a shooting so close to home will make her even more protective over her little sister.

"I have to be very attentive - and wherever she is at, I have to be there too," Kaymie said.

No one was else was injured in the shooting.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Evanston police at (847) 866-5000.