Child dies after shooting at Orlando apartment complex, police say
Child shot, killed at Orlando apartment complex
A child was fatally shot Friday morning at an Orlando apartment complex, and investigators are continuing to search for answers in the case.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Update (July 21): On Tuesday, July 21, the Orlando Police Department confirmed to FOX 35 that the child was 4 years old.
The Orlando Police Department said in a statement on Monday, July 20, that its detectives have been "working around the clock" to conduct a thorough investigation.
"As with many death investigations, this is a complex case that requires investigators to carefully examine all available evidence and follow every lead. The investigation remains active and ongoing. Releasing details at this stage, even information that may seem minor, could jeopardize the investigation, compromise evidence," read the statement.
Officials have not released further details on the circumstances of the shooting nor announced whether any potential charges could be filed.
Original story
Police said a young child has died after being shot at an Orlando apartment complex, according to the Orlando Police Department.
The shooting and the child's death have left neighbors who live in the complex devastated.
Where did the shooting take place?
The backstory:
Orlando police responded just before 11:30 a.m. to the Stella West Apartments on Bent Willow Circle near Silver Star Road, where officers found a child with a gunshot wound. The child was taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital as a high-priority trauma alert and later died.
Police cordoned off the apartment complex parking lot for several hours as investigators searched for evidence. Authorities have not released the child's identity, age or information about any possible suspects.
Scene photos: Law enforcement respond to scene
‘A genius little boy’
What they're saying:
Neighbor Lorene Price said the victim was a young boy she knew.
"It's hard, you know. He was a genius little boy," Price said.
Price said another neighbor alerted her to the shooting by pounding on her apartment door.
"I run to the door, and it was her, and she was like, 'Auntie, auntie,' and I was like, 'What's wrong? What's wrong?'"
The shooting has left residents shaken.
"I'm just imagining when I go and lay down and go to sleep, because to think of him is to see him laying on that ground," Price said. "It's just hard."
What we don't know:
Authorities have not yet disclosed what specific events prompted the emergency response or the nature of the child's injuries.
The exact age of the child and name have not been publicly released.
What's next:
The investigation remains ongoing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered by FOX 35 reporting.