Every year, nearly 3000 children and teens die from gunfire, and nearly 14,000 are injured.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

8-year old Virginia girl shot by stray bullet while eating supper

Lashea Tolvier, age 8
8-year old Lashea Tolvier was sitting down to eat her supper in her Hampton, Virginia home when a group of gunmen exchanged fire outside her home.  One of the bullets, from a .45-caliber handgun, entered Lashea's home and struck her in the neck.  She is now in critical condition.

From the article:

On Wednesday, neighbors said a group of men exchanged gunfire on Augusta Street and fled toward Shell Road around 8:45 p.m. Lamont Brown, who is the victim's cousin, said he was standing outside in the street when he heard seven to nine gunshots ring out. 
"I saw at least one person running," Brown said. Then he heard screaming outside of the house where LaShae had been shot. Brown said his son was also inside the home at the time. 
Stokes said that his daughter was inside the home preparing to eat a late supper. Her mother had set up a tray table for her in the living room when the bullet came into the house. He hadn't spoken to his daughter, she was in a sedated state, but nurses at the hospital assured him she would be okay, he said. 
LaShae is in the 2nd grade at Merrimack Elementary School in Hampton. Her father said she loves animals and enjoys petting the neighborhood dogs. She is the youngest of six children.
"She's a very sweet girl," Stokes said. "She cares about everybody. She didn't deserve this."
Stokes said the family has lived at the home for about 8 years. 
Stokes, along with other neighbors in the area, said they were fed up with crime. 
"They have no regard for a person's life," Stokes said. He shook his head. "You can't control that gun." Stokes said he hoped that police would have a more visible presence in the neighborhood after the incident.

(a related article and news footage)

Bullets don't know when to stop.

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