The father of a 9-year-old Northern Virginia girl still fighting for her life a week after being struck by a stray bullet says faith is holding the family together.
She was playing with friends in her Woodbridge neighborhood about 6:45 p.m. May 24 when a teen fired at a man who was driving a car on the street, police said. He missed his target, hitting the girl instead.
The girl is in critical condition. Her father says she is in and out of consciousness – the bullet still lodged inside her
“It’s still an uphill battle, day-to-day, I guess,” he said. “Better than worse, but it’s still a fight.”
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He said his family’s faith is helping them get them through.
“Everybody’s traumatized behind this incident,” he said. “Everybody pulling together; everybody holding hands deep in prayer.”
The shooting was captured on Ring video. It shows a group of guys walk up the sidewalk.
“Who are they?” one playing child is heard saying.
“A bad guy, you remember?” another child responds.
A man drives into the parking lot on Gatehouse Terrace, turns around, then shots ring out.
The children run, except the little girl, who was hit in the stomach and couldn’t get up.
“I’m just praying for the best,” he said. “Have her make a full recovery and come back home to us.”
Police arrested a 15-year-old boy Thursday. He’s facing malicious wounding and gun charges. He’s being held at a juvenile detention facility.
