7-Year-Old Girl Shot and Killed During Police Search of Detroit Home

This poor child. She was most likely living in an abominable situation to begin with, and now this innocent child's life is ended. The only blessing is that she has now gone on to a much better place.


[link to www.foxnews.com]


7-Year-Old Girl Shot and Killed During Police Search of Detroit Home

FOXNews.com

A 7-year-old girl has died after being shot by a Detroit police officer who was searching a home for a homicide suspect.



Aiyana Jones (MyFoxDetroit.com).

A 7-year-old girl was shot and killed when an officer's gun went off during a struggle with a woman in a house where Detroit police were searching for a suspect in the slaying of a teenager, MyFoxDetroit.com reported.

Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee said at a news conference Sunday that Aiyana Jones was hit in the neck by a single bullet and died at a hospital.

"This is any parent's worst nightmare. It also is any police officer's worst nightmare," Godbee said.

Godbee reportedly said officers with the department's Special Response Team set off a flash grenade as they entered the home about 12:40 a.m. Sunday with a warrant to look for a suspect in the Friday slaying of a 17-year-old boy.

The lead officer encountered a 46-year-old woman immediately inside the front room of the house and "some level of physical contact" ensued during which the officer's gun went off, according to the station. The officers had reportedly identified themselves as police.

Godbee said Sunday that the shooting was being investigated and all information was preliminary.

"We cannot undo what occurred this morning," he said. "All we can do is to pledge an open and full investigation and to support Aiyana's family in whatever way they may be willing to accept from us at this time."

The officers had a search warrant and were looking for a 34-year-old man suspected in the shooting death of 17-year-old Jarean Blake.

Blake, a student at Southeastern High School, was gunned down Friday by a store in front of his girlfriend. Blake stumbled across the street, collapsed and died, police said.

Officers arrested the suspect inside the home where Aiyana was shot, Godbee said.

"This is a tragedy of unspeakable magnitude to Aiyana's parents, family and all those who loved her," Godbee said. "It is a tragedy we also feel very deeply throughout the ranks of the Detroit Police Department."

Click here to read more on this story from MyFoxDetroit.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Last Edited by Falconia on 05/17/2010 11:16 AM