A 12-year-old girl was shot while protecting her siblings at their Houston, Texas, apartment on Oct. 5, police officers said.
Two men knocked on the door and demanded to see the roommate of the girl’s mother; the girl refused to open the door and herded at least four of her siblings into a back room, reported the Houston Chronicle.
The men became upset and fired at least four shots into the apartment, one of which struck the girl in the stomach, leaving her critically wounded.
She was rushed to Texas Children’s Hospital for an emergency surgery.
Assistant police Chief Bobby Dobbins praised the girl for helping her siblings in the face of danger. “She did what was right,” Dobbins said at a press conference.
The shooting took place at 8426 Hammerly Rd., police said.
Drive by shooting at 8426 Hammerly Rd, suspects shot into an apartment striking a twelve year old girl. The girl is being transported to the Texas Children Hospital. Investigators are making the scene. CC4
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 6, 2018
I’m in northwest Houston where there’s a large @houstonpolice presence. Crime scene tape blocks an apartment complex entrance. I’m trying to gather information about what happened. pic.twitter.com/zr6RNKf87g
— Nick Natario (@NickABC13) October 6, 2018
HPD Asst. Chief @BobbyDobbin06 briefs media on shooting of 12-year-old girl #hounews https://t.co/BxXOaHV7rD
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) October 6, 2018
LATEST: Houston police are on the hunt for a red sedan believed to have been involved in the shooting of a 12-year-old girl in Spring Branch #hounews
DETAILS: https://t.co/kMJ9fGgzDP pic.twitter.com/OqgXQtdXFq
— Jay R. Jordan (@JayRJordan) October 6, 2018
HERO CHILD: 12-year-old injured protecting several other children during shooting in NW Houstonhttps://t.co/iTPU4doyWU
— ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) October 6, 2018
BREAKING: 12-year-old girl shot at Spring Branch apartment, police say https://t.co/mIbUo0uW84 #kprc2 #HouNews pic.twitter.com/aPFN3YamVa
— KPRC 2 Houston (@KPRC2) October 6, 2018
The shooting happened around 8:30 p.m., police officers told KPRC. The men fled the scene in a red sedan. Police officers are still searching for them.
The girl’s mother was not at home when the shooting happened, having gone to the grocery store, and the roommate was at a laundromat at the apartment complex at the time, reported ABC 13.
One neighbor said that at least four gunshots could clearly be heard.
“My husband was driving by and he heard multiple gunshots on his way to Walmart,” Bobby Binns told the Chronicle.