Angie Erives, 11, was fatally shot while seated in the kitchen of her family's North Las Vegas home Thursday night when shooters intent on gang-related retaliation targeted the wrong house, police said. (GoFundMe)
Gunmen carrying out a gang-related retaliation had opened fire on the wrong house in a suburb north of Las Vegas, striking and killing an 11-year-old girl seated at her kitchen table, police said Friday.
Angie Erives was struck Thursday night by at least one bullet that sprayed the home through a wall or window, North Las Vegas police said. She was rushed to a local hospital, where she died.
“Angie was truly something special; anyone who was lucky enough to have known her knows that she was the kindest, most gentle, purest soul most of us will ever know,” reads a GoFundMe page set up to help the family with funeral costs.
Angie Erives died at a local hospital after being shot Thursday. (GoFundMe)
Erives’ father and mother, 33 and 30, and two sisters, 14 and 6, “were in the line of fire,” but escaped without injury, police told FOX 5 Las Vegas.
"No parent should have to deal with a tragedy like this," Assistant Police Chief Pamela Ojeda said.
“The girl and her family are innocent victims in this,” police officer Eric Leavitt said.
"No parent should have to deal with a tragedy like this."
Witnesses said a silver Nissan Altima had stopped in front of the family's house before three people climbed out and opened fire with shotguns and handguns at the two-story stucco home on a quiet residential street.
A 53-year-old neighbor on his way to work witnessed the gunfire and shot back at the car with his legally owned handgun as it pulled away, wounding a 19-year-old passenger, police said. The neighbor has cooperated with authorities and will not be charged with a crime.
The suspects’ getaway car broke down a few blocks from the home, FOX 5 reported. The 17-year-old driver then called police. He claimed the car had been raked with random gunfire and he needed to get his friend to a hospital.
The 19-year-old was taken to a hospital with a head wound, where he remained in critical condition Friday.
“The girl and her family are innocent victims in this."
Police were searching for three suspects who fled the scene, according to the station. Authorities are asking for the public’s help in solving the case.
The driver was being held as a juvenile and was expected to face felony murder, attempted murder and conspiracy charges, Ojeda said.
The wounded suspect will face the same charges if he survives, she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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