Girls, 2 and 5, Critical After Shooting: DA

Two young girls were hospitalized in critical condition Sunday, a day after they were wounded in a shooting at a northeastern Pennsylvania apartment complex, authorities said.

A 2-year-old girl is in critical condition and a 5-year-old girl in critical-stable condition after the shooting Saturday afternoon in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said.

Salavantis told the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader the girls appeared to be living or staying in the apartment where the shooting happened.

No arrests have been made. Salavantis declined to discuss the investigation in detail out of concern it could hamper police efforts.

“This case is very important to me,” Salavantis told the newspaper. “My thoughts and prayers are with the family right now. I'm very grateful that both children are still alive.”

The shooting happened around 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Sherman Hills Apartments but police released few details about what happened.

Brian Lee, 34, who lives in an adjacent apartment complex, told the Scranton Times-Tribune he heard screaming and ran to see what was happening.
“I saw the cops carrying a little girl. They put her down, trying to do CPR on her. Then they carried another kid down,” Lee said.

The girls were airlifted to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. Authorities did not release their names.