An 11-year-old girl answering the door just before midnight on Wednesday in a Bethlehem, Pa. home was shot in the face, city police report.
She is expected to survive, but “sustained significant facial trauma and is still undergoing treatment,” police said in a news release early Thursday afternoon. The home is in the 1900 block of Fairland Avenue, in the Lehigh County portion of Bethlehem, police said.
“We do not believe this to be a random act, although the victim was likely not the intended target,” police Capt. Ben Hackett says in the release. “Although we are asking Bethlehem residents to be extra vigilant and to report any suspicious sightings, we do not believe there is any increased danger to the public at large.”
The shooter is possibly male and may have worn a face covering, police said. Investigators have not released the girl’s name.
Police ask anyone with information about this crime, or who knows who the shooter might be, to contact Detective James Ruvolo at 610-997-7676 or the department’s tip line at 610-691-6660. Callers may remain anonymous.
In an interview Thursday with lehighvalleylive.com, neighbor Marcie Lightwood said she and her husband were sleeping when they were awoken by the sound of five gunshots back-to-back. Their bedroom faces the back of the home where the girl was shot.
The couple dialed 911, and by the time they made it outside, police were at the home. Investigators stayed there until Thursday morning.
Lightwood said officers told them one person was injured, but that they were expected to survive.
The neighborhood is usually very quiet, Lightwood said.
“Fireworks, that’s all that ever happens here that’s alarming,” she said. “People are friendly, people are nice. It’s a quiet, nice neighborhood.”
Other neighbors reported not hearing anything Wednesday night into Thursday morning, and only realizing something happened when they noticed police and yellow crime scene tape.
Tony Rhodin can be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.