Prayer Vigil Held On First Birthday Of Baby Girl Shot In Bronx
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A vigil took place Friday evening in the Bronx at the scene where a baby girl was shot by a stray bullet Wednesday night.
As CBS2's Andrea Grymes reports, Mayor Eric Adams attended Friday on the girl's first birthday, which she's spending in the hospital.
The little girl's name is Catherine, an adorable, innocent baby girl who took a bullet to the face Wednesday night in the Bronx. Her pink winter jacket was left stained with blood in the street.
Her aunt started a fundraiser for the family, hoping to raise $25,000 for her medical expenses.
"As many of you know, Catherine suffered a horrific trauma. She was hit by a stray bullet in her left cheek while sitting in her car seat. She has had to undergo brain surgery and is still in the hospital recovering," Catherine's aunt wrote.
The family is shaken, as is the community.
"in my neighborhood, I can't believe it. It's so close to home. it's kind of terrifying because I have a baby of my own," one woman told Grymes.
The shooting happened around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at East 198th Street and Valentine Avenue in Bedford Park.
Surveillance video shows the gunman running while firing bullets intended for someone else, police say.
The shooting is only one of the latest in a city, and borough, dealing with a rise in gun violence.
"It is through the grace of God that she is alive, that she's going to be okay," said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson. "A police officer shot in Belmont this week. This is not what New Yorkers expect and this is certainly not what residents in the Bronx deserve."
So far this year, through Sunday, NYPD statistics show 57 shooting victims citywide. That's a 7.5% increase from the same time last year, and a 90% increase from the same time five years ago.
Some Bronx residents are calling for more police.
"You need more cops. Give them better pay, put 'em out on the street. Do something. Bring back anti-crime. Bring back plain clothes. Because I guarantee if plain clothes was out right now, this never would've happened," one man said.
Adams has promised to bring back an improved, plain clothes, anti-crime unit, which was disbanded during the de Blasio administration.
As for this shooting, so far, there are no arrests.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
