16-Year-Old Girl Shot Multiple Times In Southwest Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A 16-year-old is recovering in the hospital after a gunman opened fire in Southwest Philadelphia.
The victim's mother, Tywanda Davis, identified her daughter as Diamond Whitaker.
The shooting happened just after midnight Wednesday on the 5900 block of Springfield Avenue.
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Chief Inspector Scott Small said a small group of teenagers were hanging out on the front steps of a home when someone opened fire on them.
"It appears that the shots were intentionally fired at this group because not only was this female struck multiple times, two bullets entered the window of a house right where she was standing," Small said. "So we don't know if the 16-year-old victim was the intended target, but it appears that the shooter was firing into the crowd of people that the 16-year-old was with."
Davis said her daughter was hit in the leg, hip, chest and both arms. She was the only one in the group of four teens who was hit by the gunfire.
"I'm just hurt right now. I don't know. I don't know. This has got to stop," Davis said. "Because the one that went across her chest, it just missed it, it could have killed my child. She said the whole time she was in the back of the cop car, she just said she thought she was going to die."
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Davis told Eyewitness News they live in Johnstown, Pa. but were in the city visiting family and friends. She said she has no idea why anyone would target her daughter and her friends.
Police do not yet have a description of the shooter, but investigators are hoping surveillance video in the neighborhood will help.
Meanwhile, Whitaker is slated for surgery later Wednesday.