An 11-year-old girl remains hospitalized with a bullet lodged in her head after she and her father were caught in the crossfire of a shooting outside a Florida McDonald’s.
Police described Dora Belen Rivera and her father, Oscar Roman Miron, as “innocent bystanders” who had no involvement in the dispute that led to the gunfire.
The father and daughter were sitting inside their vehicle in the parking lot of a McDonald’s in Hallandale Beach on the afternoon of Saturday, June 27, when shots suddenly rang out, according to NBC 6 South Florida.
A GoFundMe created on behalf of the family has since revealed new details about the terrifying incident and the victims’ conditions.
According to the fundraiser, the family had just arrived at the restaurant when Miron’s wife went inside to pick up food. Miron stayed in the vehicle with the couple’s three children.
“Without warning, an altercation broke out between other individuals in the parking lot, and gunfire erupted,” Miron’s co-worker, Reyna Mateo, wrote on the fundraising page.
Rivera was struck in the head, while Miron was shot in the hip.
The girl’s two younger siblings, ages 2 and 5, were also inside the vehicle when the shooting began. Neither child was physically injured, but the fundraiser said they witnessed the entire horrifying scene.
“Their two other children, who were also inside the vehicle, were physically unharmed but witnessed the terrifying incident,” the GoFundMe states.
Miron was treated at a hospital and released by Monday. He is now continuing his recovery at home.
His daughter remains hospitalized in stable condition after undergoing surgery. However, doctors have not removed the bullet from her head because they believe the procedure could cause even more damage.
“Doctors have advised the family that they are not removing the bullet at this time because doing so could cause even greater harm,” the fundraiser states. “She continues to receive specialized medical care and faces a long road to recovery.”
Ralph N-Kosi Blue III, 18, was arrested in connection with the shooting, the Hallandale Beach Police Department confirmed.
NBC 6 reported that Blue had been arriving for work at the McDonald’s when the incident occurred. Police previously said the confrontation that led to the shooting began outside Hallandale Beach.
Blue has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.
He is being held without bond at the Broward County Jail, according to NBC 6. It was not immediately clear whether he had obtained legal representation.
The owner and operator of the McDonald’s location, Brad Ashlin, said the restaurant was devastated by what happened.
“We are devastated by the shooting that occurred outside our restaurant,” Ashlin said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the father and young daughter who were injured, as well as their family during this difficult time.”
Ashlin confirmed that Blue is no longer employed by the organization and said the restaurant would continue cooperating with investigators.
“The individual reported to be involved is no longer employed at our organization,” he said. “We will continue to support the Hallandale Beach Police Department, including providing surveillance footage and any assistance needed for their investigation.”
Authorities have repeatedly emphasized that Rivera, her father and the rest of their family were not involved in the altercation.
“Oscar and his family had no involvement whatsoever in the incident,” the GoFundMe states.
We pray for her
I just heard it was a large group of blacks fighting over chicken tenders.
Someone in one group disrespected someone else in the other group by saying his chicken tenders were inferior.