What to Know
- Authorities say a 4-year-old girl died after she was shot inside a northeast Philadelphia home.
- Investigators said Tuesday that they consider it “extremely unlikely” that she fired the weapon herself.
- Police say the girl was shot in the abdomen inside the home, where her parents and two other adults were present.
A 4-year-old was shot and killed inside a Northeast Philadelphia home overnight and investigators said someone else likely pulled the trigger, Philadelphia police said.
Police learned of the shooting around midnight after family members took the girl to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital with a gunshot wound to her stomach and 911 was then called from the hospital, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
The girl, who wasn't immediately named, died around 12:15 a.m. Tuesday, police said.
The investigation led officers to a home along the 2900 block of Secane Drive where investigators found a blood trail near the front door of a home, Small said.
The girl's parents, another man and another woman were home at the time, police said.
"The investigation has determined that it is extremely unlikely that the victim shot herself," police said in a Tuesday afternoon news release.
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Inside the home, investigators recovered a .357 revolver from a living room sofa, police said. The gun was loaded with five bullets and police found a spent bullet casing nearby.
"The loss of a young life is especially tragic, particularly when it is the result of the irresponsible handling of a firearm," Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said. "Our Homicide Unit is working diligently to ascertain all of the facts, and help ensure justice for the precious and innocent victim."
Police spent the early hours of Tuesday searching for clues in the home. The girl's parents and the other adults were taken in for questioning.
No charges were filed as of Tuesday afternoon.
An angel statue and flower were placed outside of the family's home in honor of the young girl.
"I have little ones of my own," Maureen Picozzi, the family's neighbor, told NBC10. "I can only imagine what they're going through right now. It's very upsetting. She was just a baby."
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence. Further information can be found here.
