Officials in Chicago say two people, including a male juvenile, have been detained and charged in the killing of an 8-year-old girl who was tragically shot over the weekend.
The Chicago Police Department arrested Xavier Guzman, 27, and an unidentified child for their roles in a drive-by shooting in Little Village on Saturday that killed Melissa Ortega, 8, according to Fox 32 of Chicago.
According to the investigation, the adolescent pulled the trigger at "purported gang members" when he shot a 29-year-old man and fatally shot Ortega, who was strolling along the street with her mother.
"Our city has been shaken, and no one can make sense of this tragedy," Chicago Police Superintendent David O. Brown said during a press conference Wednesday, Fox 32 reported. "This morning, I spoke with Melissa's mother, in her home, not only to check in on her during this especially tough time but to also let her know we found the offenders responsible for taking Melissa's life."
According to the report, the 16-year-old was charged with murder, attempted murder, two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm in an occupied vehicle, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon, while Guzman, the car's driver, was charged with murder, attempted murder, and unlawful use of a weapon.
According to authorities, the unidentified victim, who was wounded in the back twice during the exchange, survived. According to Fox 32, the individual who was the intended target of the gang-related gunshot is a well-known gang member who has been arrested 13 times and convicted of two felonies. Officials say he was transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Araceli Leanos, Ortega’s mother, who moved to the U.S. with her daughter just six months ago, shared a statement at the press conference calling the death of her daughter "a nightmare."
"We imagined a better life here. We came in search of the American dream we so famously hear of, but instead, I get to live a nightmare for the rest of my life," Leanos said, Fox 32 reported.
Leanos said she forgives the juvenile shooter.
"To the aggressor, I forgive you. You were a victim too. As a 16-year-old, the community failed you, just like it failed my precious baby," she said, according to the report.