Tragedy strikes family

(Claremont Village-WABC, May 14, 2006) (WABC) -- It's a horrifying tragedy. A teenage girl was shot and killed when the gunman thought one of her friends said something he didn't like. It happened Sunday morning on Washington Avenue in the Bronx.

It's a horrifying tragedy. A teenage girl was shot and killed when the gunman thought one of her friends said something he didn't like. It happened Sunday morning on Washington Avenue in the Bronx. Eyewitness News reporter Marcus Solis joins us in the Claremont Village section with the latest.

The victim, Samantha Guzman, was just two weeks shy of her senior prom and three weeks away from graduation. The gunfire she was caught up in woke up the neighborhood.

The gunshots were followed by screams and calls for help. Candles were lit where Samantha Guzman was shot twice on Washington Avenue. The 18-year-old was walking with friends to a bus stop early Sunday morning. The two females and a male came across a group of five men pistol-whipping someone else. That group thought the man walking with Guzman said something to them.

William Guzman, Victim's Uncle: He approached him and they started beating on him. They started running and somebody apparently fired.

Guzman was hit in the back and the arm. She later died during surgery. Outside of St. Barnabas Hospital Sunday family members exchanged hugs and stories about the teenager they called Sammy Jo.

James Otero, Victim's Uncle: Her prom was coming up in two weeks. She had dreams of becoming a physician. That was her life goal. She has spoken about this. It was in her mind for many, many years.

Guzman recently moved to the Bronx with her father. She traveled to Staten Island every day to attend school near where her mother lives. Yesterday, she was far from her neighborhood visiting a friend. It happened to be the wrong place at the wrong time.

Neighborhood Resident: We've never had anything like this in front of the building. Down the block not that long ago there was a shooting here, but it's scary that's its coming up this way.

William Guzman, Victim's Uncle: A lot of young stupid, little kids that have no sense.

Making this especially frustrating for the family is that the victim's father works with troubled teens.

Police are investigating whether or not the initial incident was gang related. So far, no arrests have been made in the murder.

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