A 4-year-old girl remains hospitalized at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx after a shooting incident that occurred Monday night, the New York Daily News reports.
Investigators believe that Makayla Manners accidentally shot herself in the face with a semiautomatic handgun around 10:30 p.m. after stumbling across a handgun in a second-floor apartment in Yonkers, New York.
At the time of the shooting, the child was inside of the apartment with her aunt while her mother, who has been identified by friends as 22-year-old Tantania Manners, was outside of the apartment on Walnut St. talking to friends. It is unclear how Makayla got hold of the gun, but police say that they are “investigating the origin of the weapon.”
Neighbor Christyl Banks told reporters that she “saw people arguing outside” before she heard a gunshot.
“I heard people screaming and running inside. It was surprising,” said Banks.
A family friend said that the child was “very responsive” after the shooting.
“She was squeezing my hand and I was talking to her. She had one eye open,” said the unidentified friend. “She is a brilliant little girl.”
Makayla was rushed to the hospital where she was taken into surgery. Relatives gathered outside of the hospital Monday night.
“This is a life-and-death matter. I have to be strong for you. That’s your daughter, that’s my granddaughter,” Makayla’s grandfather could be overheard saying.
“They can’t make me walk upstairs and say goodbye to my first daughter. I didn’t come out here to say goodbye,” the tot’s father replied.
Makayla is expected to survive. As of Tuesday, she was said to be in critical condition.
“I’m fine when I’m here but I can’t see her. I can’t see her like that,” the girl’s grandfather later told reporters.
Yonkers police have not released details regarding the investigation, but they say that it is “is active and ongoing.” So far, no arrests have been made.
