MORRISANIA — An NYPD commander is pleading with community members to help police find the person who wounded a 7-year-old girl during a gang-related shooting.
“A 7-year-old got shot,” Inspector Carlos Valdez said at the 40th precinct’s October community council meeting. “I’m bringing this up because I really need help in trying to get some information to solve this case.”
The girl was leaving her grandmother’s house and running down the block with her father to go home on Sept. 20 when she was accidentally clipped by a bullet that grazed her left ankle, according to the NYPD.
She was treated at Lincoln Medical Center and released, police said.
”To me, it’s a very high-profile shooting,” Valdez said.
“A 7-year-old gets hit. That case, it is on our forefront and it should be something that not only the police take a special interest in but the community takes a special interest in.”
Officers believe the shooting happened as part of a rivalry between a group in the Forest and McKinley Houses and a group called the Jack Boys who frequent the Adams and St. Mary’s Houses.
“We think it’s some sort of rift between them, but we’re not getting any cooperation at all,” he said.
“So if anybody knows anybody here and could just drop a tips line, I would really appreciate it.”
Police have gotten one tip on the case so far, but it didn't pan out, Valdez said.
Overall, shootings have gone down in the 40th Precinct compared to last year. As of Oct. 4, the neighborhood had seen 23 victims and 22 incidents, compared to 29 victims and 26 incidents at this time last year.
