A late afternoon inside an Avondale apartment turned frightening on Wednesday when a 7-year-old girl was shot and rushed to the hospital after a bullet traveled from another room and struck her, according to police. The child was inside the unit near Indian School and El Mirage roads with family members when the round hit her. Investigators say her injuries are not life-threatening, and officers later arrested an 18-year-old relative as they processed the scene.
Avondale officers were called to the complex just before 5 p.m. on April 29. Evidence recovered in the apartment quickly pointed detectives toward the girl’s 18-year-old brother, prompting his arrest on suspicion of unlawful discharge of a firearm and aggravated assault with a firearm, FOX 10 Phoenix reported.
Earlier in the response, officers arrived around 4:45 p.m. and found the child suffering from a gunshot wound. She was taken to a hospital and listed in stable condition, according to ABC15. At that point, no suspects were in custody, a detail that appears to reflect an earlier stage of what became a fast-moving investigation.
Investigation and charges
Detectives say the physical evidence inside the apartment backed up their decision to arrest the victim’s older brother. "Our Detectives located evidence to support charging the Victim’s 18-year-old brother with Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm and Aggravated Assault with a Firearm," police said, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Authorities have not publicly released the names of anyone involved and say the case remains active as they interview witnesses and sort through what happened inside the apartment.
West Valley context
The shooting lands in the middle of a tense stretch for the West Valley. Earlier this month, a teen was hospitalized after being shot during a pool party in Avondale, AZFamily reported. In those incidents, police have said there is no ongoing threat to residents while detectives work to identify suspects and understand motives.
Avondale police are asking anyone with information about the apartment shooting to contact investigators. The department’s website lists a Crime Tips line at (623) 333-7003 and offers an online portal for non-emergency reporting, according to the Avondale Police Department. Detectives are especially interested in hearing from witnesses who may have cellphone video or other evidence that could help them piece together the moments before the gun went off.
