Police said the child was an unintended victim when gunfire erupted near Pearly Gates Park in Westchester Square.
NEW YORK — A 12-year-old girl was seriously wounded after being struck by gunfire Monday night near a park in the Bronx, prompting a search for two suspects as investigators examined whether the shooting was connected to a gang dispute, police and local reports said.
The shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. Oct. 12 near Pearly Gates Park on Tratman Avenue in the Westchester Square neighborhood. Police said the girl was struck in the torso and foot and taken to Montefiore Hospital. Authorities described her as an unintended victim and said she was in stable condition Tuesday after initially suffering serious injuries.
Police were searching for two males who fled the area after the shooting. Witnesses and police sources described the suspects as young men or teenagers dressed in black. No arrests had been announced in the latest reports reviewed Wednesday, and police had not publicly identified any suspects.
Investigators were examining whether the gunfire stemmed from a dispute involving rival groups, according to law enforcement sources cited by several New York news organizations. Police had not publicly established a motive, however, and the possible gang connection remained part of the investigation rather than a final determination.
The New York Post, citing law enforcement sources, reported that the gunmen appeared to be targeting other people when the girl was caught in the gunfire. The newspaper also reported that a firearm and other ballistic evidence were recovered near the scene. Police had not publicly said who possessed the recovered weapon or whether it had been conclusively tied to the shots that struck the girl.
The girl’s 14-year-old sister, Miral Alamouri, told the New York Post that her younger sister called her shortly after being wounded. Alamouri said the two had separated only minutes earlier when the 12-year-old went to meet a friend near the park. The family has not publicly released the younger girl’s name or photograph.
Alamouri said her sister underwent abdominal surgery after the shooting and was expected to need additional treatment for an injury to her foot. Other reports, citing police, described the girl as stable and expected to survive. Details about her medical care came from family members and news reports rather than a public statement from the hospital.
ABC7 New York reported that investigators processed more than one area near the park as part of the crime scene and were working to establish the exact sequence of events. CBS New York reported that the girl had been walking in or near the park when the shooting occurred and that police did not believe she was the intended target.
The shooting drew particular concern because of the victim’s age and because it happened near a neighborhood park. Police continued searching for the people responsible while reviewing evidence and witness accounts. Authorities had not announced charges or confirmed the identities of anyone involved in the suspected dispute as of the latest available reports.
The investigation remained active Wednesday. The NYPD had not announced an arrest, and key questions — including who fired the shots, whom the gunmen may have been targeting and what led to the confrontation — had not been publicly resolved.
Author note: Last updated October 14, 2026.