Girl Fatally Shot in Head When Stray Bullet Pierces Bedroom Window

An 11-year-old girl has died after she was struck by a stray bullet in a West Side Chicago home Friday evening.

It happened in the 3900 block of West Gladys Avenue in the Garfield Park neighborhood at about 9:30 p.m.

Community activist Andrew Holmes tells NBC 5 that the bullets came through a bedroom window and struck Shamiya Adams in the head while she was at a sleepover.

Police said the girl was in a first-floor bedroom at the time of the shooting, but could not confirm if she was at a friend's home at the time.

Police initially reported the girl was 10 years old, but said Saturday morning she was 11.

Adams was initially taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition. She was later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's office confirmed Saturday morning that the girl had died.

"We do need these individuals and we need them in custody as soon as possible," Holmes said.

Aaron Hills said his daughter was the young girl's best friend and was in the room at the time of the shooting.

He said the girls were having a sleepover with friends and the group was about to make s'mores in the house when the shots were fired.

"They was in there making sandwiches with marshmallows with graham crackers and a bullet came through the window and hit Shamiya in the head," Hills said. "We have to put a stop to it. Get out and talk, don't be scared no matter who it is. If you know something, say something. It doesn't matter who you are."

Rosemarie Jones was in the home when Adams was shot.

"It's sad, just sad," she said. "They were just sitting there and I hear shots and I come in and she was laying on the floor. They were fixing to make s'mores in the backyard but I told them to come in the house because I didn't want them making a fire back there. I told them to come in and do it in the microwave so all the kids came in and sat in the room."

The shooting has sparked outrage in the community.

"You took a joyful, sweet innocent child," Hills said.

"Violence cannot be tolerated and it's not condoned," said David Pope, a minister in the area. "We are praying this traffic circumstance will turn into a triumphant one."

Jones said she was doing her best to keep children off the streets.

"I'm trying to get kids off the streets," she said. "They are in the house fixing to do something good and get together and this happens in the house."

Adams' grandmother said the young girl had a twin brother and an older brother.

"She was adorable," said Nanette Dailey. "Shamiya we love you baby."

The young girl is the second juvenile girl to be shot in the neighborhood Friday and is among more than 20 people shot overnight in the city..

Earlier, a 12-year-old girl was among three shot in the same neighborhood around 3:30 p.m., police said.

The shooting happened in the 700 block of North Ridgeway Avenue.

The girl, along with a 33-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man were shot when someone approached them on foot and opened fire.

Both the girl and the woman, who was shot in the face, were taken in stable condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

The man suffered a graze wound to the calf and was treated at the scene, police said.

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