$5,000 reward offered in shooting of 8-year-old in Camden
Authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot an 8-year-old girl in the head as she played on a sidewalk in Camden on Wednesday evening.
Authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot an 8-year-old girl in the head as she played on a sidewalk in Camden on Wednesday evening.
The reward announcement Thursday came as about a dozen detectives and police officers combed Eighth Street near Spruce Street in the Bergen Square neighborhood, handing out fliers and seeking information.
The girl remains in critical condition at Cooper University Hospital, authorities said.
The shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of the two streets, when several men opened fire on an intended target and the girl was hit by a stray bullet, Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson said. She was across the street from her home when she was struck.
Thomson said that the shooting appeared to be gang-related, and that video surveillance footage was taken from the scene.
"We have some really good leads to work with, but we want to bring this home as soon as possible," he said.
On Facebook, a woman who identified the girl as her niece "Gabby" posted pictures of the smiling girl and asked for prayers, saying, "Your a fighter! You got this gabby baby."
The woman, Tasha Mack Thornton, could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
In the neighborhood where the shooting happened, some residents sat on front steps and porches Thursday morning as the Police Department's mobile command unit, lights flashing, was parked at the corner.
Bruce Redd, 65, said he was walking home Wednesday evening when he heard the gunshots. It sounded like they were bouncing off buildings, he said.
Redd said he started running.
"It was dark," he said. "You couldn't see nobody."
The shooting drew Thomson and several high-ranking members of his department Wednesday night to Cooper, where Thomson met with the child's mother. He declined to share particulars on their conversation but said, "I reassured [her] that we are putting all our resources into getting the people responsible."
Stray bullets have struck children in Camden before. In 2011, a 9-year-old boy, Jorge Cartagena, was shot in the head while walking home to feed his parakeets. The bullet, intended for someone else, blinded him. The suspect was quickly arrested and sentenced after admitting to the crime.
In 2008, two men who were feuding opened fire on a street where 4-year-old Brandon Thompson was playing. A bullet struck his head as he ran toward his mother for safety, killing him. The gunfight was between Brandon's uncle and another man, both of whom were later sentenced.
This year, 62 people have been shot in Camden. That's about the same as this time last year.
The reward in Wednesday's shooting is offered by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office and the police department.
Authorities ask anyone with information on the shooting to call Camden County Prosecutor's Office Detective Sherman Hopkins at 856-225-8623 or Camden County Police Department Detective Michael Ross at 856-757-7420.
856-779-3829 @borenmc
Staff writer Allison Steele contributed to this article.