4-Year-Old Girl Shot, Killed While With Mom; Parent Accused Of Shooting 2 Teens

A 4-year-old girl was shot and killed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Thursday night while she was with her mother, who is reportedly a suspect in a separate shooting case.

The young girl, identified as Kaari Thompson, was killed after 15 shots were fired outside the Brooklyn Food Mart in the 1500 block of Lincoln Avenue in the city's Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood at 6:40 p.m. Thursday, WTAE reported.

The shooting incident also left the child's mother, whose name was not disclosed, wounded and in critical condition, WPXI reported, citing Pittsburgh police.

"I am very touched by this tragic situation that occurred yesterday and this 4-year-old baby won't be able to enjoy the holiday season like any other girl would do," said Assistant Chief Lavonnie Bickerstaff of the Pittsburgh police, according to the outlet.

According to Justin Jefferson, an employee at the Brooklyn Food Mart where the mother and child made a purchase right before shots were fired, the woman was a regular customer.

"You just hear a bunch of shots ringing out, a whole bunch of shots. Everybody in the store runs to the back and the guys behind the counter, drop down to the floor. As soon as they drop down to the floor, you see a man run into the store with a little girl, screaming and begging for help, just screaming, begging and begging, for someone to help him and his daughter," Jefferson told WTAE.

The motive behind the shooting remains unknown as of this writing.

However, WPXI reported that at the time the shooting occurred, the mother was out on bond awaiting trial on attempted homicide charges. The woman is accused of shooting two teenagers in Homewood in August, the outlet said.

Police would not say if the mother was the intended target of the shooting, according to the news outlet.

But Pittsburgh police have since called on parents to get more involved and pay closer attention to their kids, particularly their social media activities.

"Be aware of what your children are doing because in doing so, you could save your child's life and a child that is dear to you," Bickerstaff said.

In a briefing held Friday, police said that they have gotten some leads in the case. However, they are still seeking the help of the public for information that can help them in the ongoing investigation.

No arrests have been announced as of this writing, but police said they are working hard to pin down the suspects and get them off the streets.

Pittsburgh Public Schools issued a statement regarding Thompson's death.

"With deep sadness, we report the tragic loss of Pittsburgh Lincoln Early Childhood student Kaari Thompson, who was killed yesterday (Thursday) in Lincoln-Lemington. Kaari will be remembered as a very loving child, always smiling and passing out hugs. She enjoyed playing in the classroom's housekeeping section and making pretend food for everyone. She was very bright and an absolute joy to have in class. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time," the statement said, according to WPXI.