10-year-old Phila. shooting victim: “I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt.”

Police are searching for a suspect in the shootings last night of three people, including a 10-year-old girl, in West Philadelphia.

Gunfire erupted at 8:40 p.m. near the 5300 block of Chestnut Street following an altercation between two groups of men, police said.

"I heard people screaming, I heard people running," said Darlene Smith.

Smith, 39, was washing the dishes at her home on Ruby Street near 53rd and Chestnut Streets when she heard what sounded like firecrackers and then commotion outside.

Her 10-year-old daughter, Victoria Green, was outside playing with friends when the gunman, who has not been named by police, fired eight shots. One of the bullets struck the Victoria in the calf. Two men, ages 22 and 23, were hit in the legs.

Smith wanted to rush to Victoria but she was held back briefly by her 17-year-old son, who wanted to make sure the shooting had stopped.

When Smith got outside she couldn't find her daughter and screamed out her name.

Neighbors a few doors down told her that they had taken Victoria inside.

Her daughter told her: "'Don't cry. I'm fine. It doesn't hurt.' Of course, I was hysterical," Smith said.

"She was really brave."

They waited inside their neighbor's house until a medic unit arrived to take Victoria to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Victoria is expected to be released today. The bullet is lodged inside her leg and doctors told her mother that they may leave it in because it might cause more damage to remove it.

The men were taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where they were in stable condition this morning, police said.

Smith said she had no idea what prompted the shooting or who else was involved or wounded.

"I just want people to learn a lesson from this," she said.

"Bullets have no name."

Police did not know if the two wounded men were connected with the initial fight.

On Ruby Street this morning there were two vehicles with bullet holes in the windshields.