People living in a quiet Port Hueneme neighborhood thought they were just hearing fireworks, but they were actually gunshots. A pregnant mother and her 7-year-old child were shot and are in the hospital.
Mistaken for what people thought were fireworks, gunshots fired at a residence in the quiet neighborhood of Port Hueneme injured a pregnant mother and left her 7-year-old daughter in a coma.
At around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, Port Hueneme Police Department received a call from the frantic mother asking for help. The shooting took place in the 100 block of East Pearl Street where officers found several bullet strikes to the mother’s residence.
Shell casings were scattered on the ground outside the home. The shooting appears to have stemmed from a personal dispute, police said.
"The neighborhood where this occurred is generally very quiet," said Police Chief Andrew Salinas. "We normally would get numerous calls for service for shots fired, but unfortunately due to the fireworks in this neighborhood it made it very difficult to determine if it were fireworks or shots being fired in the neighborhood."
The victims were rushed to Ventura County Medical Center and are being treated for their injuries. A Port Hueneme police officer at the scene confirmed the 7-year-old girl was shot in the head, and the mother was struck in the foot.
Approximately five family members were inside the home at the time of the shooting.
Port Hueneme Police Detectives and Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Unit are investigating what led to the shooting. Police said the sound of gunfire was initially mistaken for fireworks going off in the area.
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The fire department issued a statement later Wednesday morning.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting that occurred overnight in Port Hueneme near our fire station," said Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen, Ventura County Fire Department. "We are investigating the circumstances surrounding the emergency response and medical services rendered to the mother and daughter following the shooting. VCFD is talking with firefighters and local authorities to determine the facts."
A GoFundMe account has been set up to assist the family. If you would like to donate, you may do so here.
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