8-Year-Old Girl Dies After Being Shot In Head In Little Village; Man Critically Wounded
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An 8-year-old girl has died following a shooting in Little Village Saturday afternoon.
Around 2:45 p.m. the girl was walking north on South Pulaski Road near 26th Street with a guardian when she was shot in the head. Neither she nor her guardian were the intended target of the shooting, police said.
The girl, identified as Melissa Ortega, was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition but later died.
A 29-year-old man was also shot in the incident. Police say he was coming out of a store when unknown people started firing shots at him.
He was struck in the back and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition.
Community activists are calling this another senseless act of gun violence and say it needs to stop.
Detectives say another nearby 8-year-old was not struck but was sitting in a car when the window was shot out.
"This place is not safe because there's gang bangers and stuff like that over here. It's just scary," said Angel Ocampo, who heard the gunshots.
A GoFundMe has been created to cover the cost of her funeral expenses. Ortega was a student of Emiliano Zapata Academy. She along with her mother moved to Chicago from Mexico last August to start a new life, according to the GoFundMe.
Other activists spoke out Saturday night, offering a $2,000 reward for information on the 8-year-old's death.
Mayor Lori lightfoot expressed her condolences for the family via Twitter.
We wake today to the murder of 8-year-old Melissa in Little Village.
— Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) January 23, 2022
Amy and I send our sincerest condolences to this heartbroken family and shattered community.
Lightfoot reminds the public that there is an anonymous tip line that pays up to $10,000 for an arrest in this case -- up to $15,000 for a conviction.
She wants the shooter to come forward and urges people to not take the matter into their own hands.
"There may be a temptation by some to take matters into their own hands to avenge Melissa's murder. Do not compound one tragedy with a series of others. In this time of grief, promote peace, not more violence," Lightfoot said.
No one is in custody. Area Four detectives are investigating.