Officials in Buffalo, New York have confirmed that a 3-year-old boy was killed and his 7-year-old sister was injured after being hit by gunfire while at a family gathering.
According to the Associated Press, officers rushed the unidentified boy in a police car to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead; while his sister suffered graze wounds deemed to be non-life threatening, and is expected to make a full recovery.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph A. Gramaglia said during a press conference that the shooting had not been related to the family gathering: “Last night was a very tragic night for our community. It was a hot night with a lot of people out, and the gunfire was unrelated to the gathering. These children were simply out enjoying a summer evening when tragedy struck.” Gramaglia said investigators recovered a gun Friday night and were testing it, but no further information about the weapon was made available. Gramaglia declined to provide further details of the shooting and said the investigation was continuing
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said: “A 3-year-old riding his tricycle, having fun with members of his family on a hot summer night, his 7-year-old big sister right by his side, and out of nowhere gunfire erupts. And the children are struck by gunfire,”
According to Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane, the mother of the two children involved in the shooting is a well-known member of the community who is active in Most Valuable Parents, a local organization focused on improving safety in Buffalo. Said Keane: “she is a strong woman, consistently working with other families to keep our children safe. And now this tragedy has struck her own family.”
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