An 11-year-old is in critical condition after being shot in the head while in her father’s car. The shooting occurred in Antioch, northeast of San Francisco, according to police. Now, her father has revealed the heartbreaking question she asked him after being shot.
The 11-year-old girl was riding in her father’s car when a gunman opened fire as they prepared to leave an apartment complex in Antioch, northeast of San Francisco, California, on January 5, according to police officials.
One bullet went through the car’s rear windshield and hit the 11-year-old girl in the head. She was transferred to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. Per the Daily Mail, shortly after the incident, her father revealed his daughter’s first heartbreaking words after being shot.
‘”She says, ‘Dad, why can’t I see?’ the father said. “It hurts me so much. Those are words I don’t think any dad could handle.”
11-year-old girl shot in the head
The Antioch Police Department said the girl was sitting in the front passenger seat as her father drove to the store when, without warning, gunshots rang. The father, who has not been publicly identified due to safety concerns, said he’s been left in grief and fear.
“My family is everything to me,” he said. “I feel like my heart is being ripped out.”
The girl’s aunt, Anahi Ramirez, described how painful it was seeing her niece in the intensive care unit.
“I’m still in shock. I can’t believe everything that’s happened. It’s very difficult,” she said, according to the Daily Mail. “It’s tough because I’m her Godmother, her aunt. “I’m the sister of her dad. We’ve always been united. It’s very hard to see her like that.”
The father had made eye contact with the shooter but didn’t recognize him. Lt. Bill Whitaker of the Antioch Police Department said. The 11-year-old’s father also said they felöt “unsafe” returning hom, calling for increased security of the apartment complex.
The suspect turned himself in
On Monday, January 12, the suspect, Ryan Hardy, turned himself in to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, KTVU reported.
“After multiple conversations over the last seven days, [the investigator] was able to have the family bring him into the San Francisco Sheriff’s and he was able to self-surrender,” Lt. Bill Whitaker said.
The initial prognosis for the 11-year-old girl was dire. She lost her eyesight and ability to walk; however, now, doctors happily see signs of improvement.
“She’s starting to get her eyesight back as well as being able to walk,” Lt. Whitaker said. “Everything is trending in the right direction, but she does have a long road ahead of her.”
A family member of the 11-year-old girl has created a GoFundMe page to “help cover emergency living expenses, relocation costs to a safer community, lost income during this crisis, and future medical and therapy-related needs.” At the time of writing, it has brought in almost $25,000.
GoFundMe for the 11-year-old girl was launched
The description at the GoFundMe reads, “Her road ahead is uncertain and will require extensive medical care, therapy, and long-term emotional healing.The trauma does not stop with her alone. Because the shooter has not been taken into custody, the family lives in constant fear of retaliation and no longer feels safe returning to their home (Antioch) For their safety and for the well-being of all their children, they must leave everything behind.”
“This means leaving their home permanently, walking away from their income-earning jobs, and relocating to the Bay Area, where the cost of living is extremely high, all while remaining by their daughter’s bedside.”
“Three other siblings are also deeply affected by the trauma of this incident.This family is honest, humble, and hardworking, only seeking a safe and stable future for their children while building a life in the United States. They never imagined needing to ask for help, but they now face impossible circumstances.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the 11-year-old girl, her family, and those affected.
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