Child struck by stray bullet in gang-related shooting in Compton, deputies say
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A small child was wounded by a stray bullet in a gang-related shooting Wednesday while riding in a car with his mother through a Compton neighborhood, authorities said.
The child was in a car seat in the back seat of his mother’s car when gunfire erupted in the 14800 block of South Atlantic Avenue, said Deputy Ryan Rouzan, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The suspected shooter opened fire on two people as the mother drove through the neighborhood and got caught in the gunfire, Rouzan said.
The Sheriff’s Department said they later received a call reporting a gunshot victim in an “illegal shooting, assault with a deadly weapon.”
When deputies arrived, they found a boy suffering from at least one gunshot wound to his upper torso, said Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez, a department spokeswoman.
Deputies placed the child in their cruiser and drove him to a hospital, she said in a statement.
The child was in critical condition.
At least five people were seen fleeing the shooting, Rouzan said.
Detectives were investigating the scene Wednesday afternoon and searching for video footage in the area.
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UPDATES:
4:05 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about the shooting and child’s condition.
2:30 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about the shooting.
This article was originally published at 12:50 p.m.
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