United States

Two Children Shot in Gary Hours Apart: Officials

Two young children were shot four hours apart Monday in northwest Indiana, authorities said.

The first shooting happened around 5 p.m., when police said a young girl was shot on Chase Street in Gary. Officials said the 9-year-old girl was sitting at a kitchen table when a bullet came through the home, striking her.

The girl's grandfather, who said she is 8 years old, said he was sitting at the table eating pizza with his granddaughter and her grandmother when they heard gunshots.

"We heard a bang and we didn’t know what it was and I looked and the whole window was shattered, the patio window was shattered, and she grabbed her left side of her chest and I raised her T-shirt and I seen prickles of blood and a small hole so we called 911 immediately," said Felix Binion. 

About two miles away, a 9-year-old boy was shot in the chest around 9 p.m. near 19th Avenue and 19th Place, police said. 

Neighbors reported hearing gunfire ring out in the neighborhood Monday night and some residents say it's not the first time. 

“They drive down the street and shoot like they don’t care,” said resident Bernard Carter. “I was right here washing my truck a couple of weeks ago and there go an SUV shooting down the street and I had to go grab my daughter and get behind my car.”

Police believed the second shooting may have been targeted, but further information wasn’t immediately released.

Both children were transported to Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago where their conditions were not known.

Binion said Tuesday morning that his granddaughter underwent at least one surgery and is expected to survive. 

"She was awake but she was in and out," he said. 

The shootings took place on the same day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data showing at least 19 U.S. children are killed or injured in shootings each day. 

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