PETERSBURG, Va. — Police are looking for the person who shot a teenage girl in Petersburg on Thursday night.
"Officers arrived on scene at Crater Square Apartments and located a 15-year-old female with a gunshot wound," a Petersburg Police spokesperson wrote about the 11:48 p.m. shooting. "The victim's injury was considered life threatening and she was transported to a local area hospital."
Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that the child was walking home from a 7-Eleven less than a half-mile away when she was shot.
Police have not yet provided any information about the person who shot the girl nor on what may have led up to the shooting.
Barbara Plum, who said she has lived on South Crater Road for 35 years, was in her kitchen when she saw first responders.
“I didn’t here like any noise or anything just suddenly cops, and ambulances and fire trucks were over there,” she recalled.
Plum said crime in the neighborhood has gotten progressively worse over the past two years.
“Every night I don't know if it’s gunshots, fireworks or like a car backfiring,” Plum said. “You’re always scared to kind of look out the window to see if it’s somebody outside or someone across the street.”
Plum hopes things change soon.
"It was horrible and scary," Plum said. "I just love kids, I don't see why anyone would want to hurt one."
Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call Petersburg/Dinwiddie Crime Solvers at 804-861-1212.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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