LONGMONT, Colo. — A 3-year-old girl is recovering in the hospital after she was hit during a drive-by shooting in Longmont Wednesday evening.
Longmont Public Safety said officers were called out to the Countryside Village Mobile Park near the intersection of Pike Road and South Main Street just before 8 p.m. Wednesday for reports of a shooting. Yudith was out shopping for Christmas presents for her 3-year-old daughter, Alyahna, when the shooting happened.
"We just get the call that there was a shooting at the house. My first instinct was my daughter because she was there," Yudith told Denver7.
According to police, a person in a dark-colored sedan fired multiple shots into the home on South Collyer Street. One of the bullets went into Alyahna's bedroom and struck her in the torso.
"She was the one that got hit by one of the bullets. Everybody else was safe, but she got hit," said Yudith.
Two Longmont officers arrived within minutes and quickly began life-saving measures. The department said the officers used the tailgate of a police pickup truck to care for the toddler until paramedics arrived. Children's Hospital staff say the officers' immediate care saved Alyahna's life.
Alyahna was taken into surgery at 10 a.m. Thursday.
"You hit a little innocent girl that... she's so joyful. She's such a playful little girl. She's loved by many," said Yudith.
The family is counting down the minutes until they can hold their little girl in their arms.
"She's joyful. She loves singing "Happy Birthday." That's her favorite song "Happy Birthday," said Alyahna's mother. "She loves Barbie. She loves to dance. She loves to sing."
The family has created a GoFundMe online fundraiser to help with medical expenses. Longmont Public Safety said donations for the family can also be made through the city's emergency fund.
On Friday morning, the family said Alyahna is stable.
Investigators are searching for the shooter. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the department at 303-651-8501.
