LOS ANGELES (AP) - A 7-year-old girl was in a coma Wednesday after she and her pregnant mother were shot when gunfire hit their Southern California home, authorities said.
Police said the child’s father carried her to a nearby fire station after gunfire stopped late Tuesday in a residential area of Port Hueneme northwest of Los Angeles.
Police Chief Andrew Salinas told KCAL-TV that the child was shot in the head and was in critical condition in a coma. He said the mother was shot twice but was stable.
Salinas said investigators do not believe it was a random shooting. He confirmed that numerous shell casings were found in the street.
There were reports that firefighters did not act to help the girl right away, but the Fire Department investigated and said those reports were not true.
“We are investigating the circumstances surrounding the emergency response and medical services rendered to the mother and daughter following the shooting. VCFD is talking with firefighters and local authorities to determine the facts,” Ventura County Fire Department Chief Mark Lorenzen said in a statement.
Authorities also said a misunderstanding about whether neighbors heard gunshots or fireworks caused a delay in response time.
Port Hueneme is a city of about 22,300 people about 55 miles (89 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.