South Bend police are asking for the public’s help as they investigate yet another shooting of a young child.
Officers Tuesday night responded to a report of shots fired in the 2000 block of Johnson Street. They arrived to find that a 1-year-old girl was inside a home when she was hit by a bullet that was fired at the house by someone from outside. She was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
It comes just three weeks after two other incidents. An 8-year-old girl was shot, suffering critical injuries, at the Laurel Woods Apartments off Auten Road, and a 12-year-old boy was shot at the corner of Howard and Lawrence streets on the near northeast side.
Addressing reporters Wednesday, Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski pleaded with the community to help stop the violence.
“When is that line going to be drawn and say, ‘We’ve had enough?’" Ruszkowski said. "When are parents going to hold their kids responsible? When are family members and friends going to hold each other responsible and accountable to stop them before something like this does happen again? We had a 12-year-old, an 8-year-old and now a 1-year-old. It is as simple as you hear something, know something, say something, so we can do something.”
