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An 8-year-old boy is in critical condition after being shot in the head by a stray bullet while he was sleeping in his Del Rey home on Sunday night.
The shooting occurred while the boy's father was arguing with a man around 11:56 p.m. at the home located on the 11900 block of Wagner St., according to the L.A. Times. Los Angeles Police Dept. Officer Liliana Preciado told City News Service that the preliminary investigation found that the man had entered the home before the argument.
The suspect then shot a few rounds of bullets at the father, and though he missed him, a stray bullet ended up striking the boy in the head as he was sleeping in his bedroom. ABC 7 reported that another child was also in that room, but wasn't hurt. The boy's mother was at home during the shooting.
“At this point it does not appear the child was the intended target,” Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Scott Moffitt told KTLA.
The boy was rushed to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center where he underwent surgery. He's in critical condition and remains in the intensive care unit as of this morning.
Authorities are still searching for the suspect. The boy's parents are cooperating with police. Although investigators don't know the motive for the shooting, they believe it may be gang-related.
