A California father has revealed the heartbreaking question his 11-year-old daughter asked him right after being shot in the head.
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On January 5, Antioch police responded to a call on 3915 Delta Fair Blvd in California. A young girl had been shot in the head while sitting in the passenger seat of her father’s car.
“Through a combination of video surveillance, witness statements, and forensic evidence,” the police department has identified Ryan Hardy, 23, as the suspect behind the senseless shooting. He is still at large, with “several individuals” aiding in his initial escape.
Speaking to The Daily Mail anonymously, the father of the victim described what his daughter said right after being shot. The identity of the family involved have been kept secret due to safety concerns. Although the police currently believe the family was not the intended target of the shooting.
“She says, ‘Dad, why can’t I see?'” he recalled. “It hurts me so much. Those are words I don’t think any dad could handle.”
“My family is everything to me,” the father continued. “I feel like my heart is being ripped out.”
According to the outlet, investigators say the bullet pierced the rear windshield and the back head rest to strike the girl in the back of the head.
Although She Survived, Her Vision Will Never Return
The child was rushed to an Oakland children’s hospital and is currently receiving treatment. Per a GoFundMe, she is responding to stimuli, but “she has lost 100% of her vision.”
“At this time, she is able to hear loved ones and respond by moving parts of her body when spoken to,” the page reads.
The “senseless act of violence” has caused the family to relocate their lives out of fear. “Because the shooter has not been taken into custody, the family lives in constant fear of retaliation and no longer feels safe returning to their home (Antioch) For their safety and for the well-being of all their children, they must leave everything behind (sic).”
The girl’s three siblings are also suffering trauma from the harrowing event.