13-year-old girl shot in Pittsburgh area
DUQUESNE, Pa. (KDKA) — A 13-year-old girl was shot inside a home in Duquesne on Tuesday.
The Allegheny County Police Department said the shooting happened around 3:30 p.m. on South Seventh Street. The teenager was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, authorities said. Her father told KDKA-TV that his daughter underwent surgery at UPMC Children's Hospital on Tuesday night.
Police said preliminary information shows the shooting happened inside of the home. It is not clear who owned the gun, who shot the gun or where it was. Police did not say where the shooting happened inside the home.
At the time of the shooting, the girl was home with her older brother and younger sister. Her father was not home.
"Their father is constantly working," neighbor Camilette Rhone said. "He's trying to keep the mortgage up and food on the table and clothes for the kids. They aren't bad kids."
Another neighbor said he heard one gunshot and saw people running into the home.
"I seen the little girl coming out the house with blood coming off the side of her head, and she's getting operated on at Children's Hospital," neighbor Arthur Rhone said.
"I'm still thinking about it," Rhone said. "I couldn't sleep all night."
"You try to do things to forget about it, but you can't forget about it," she added.
Sue Mariani, superintendent of the Duquesne City School District, said the teenager is not a student in the district. She said she was in Duquesne visiting a parent.
Duquesne Police Chief Tom Shaw released a statement to KDKA-TV on Wednesday: "It's insane how kids have access to firearms. The situation is sad all around."
Allegheny County police are investigating. As of Wednesday evening, no charges have been filed in connection with the case.
Early reports said the girl is 12 years old, but county police said the victim is 13 years old.