4-year-old shot, among 3 victims hurt in Portage Park shooting

August 12, 2013 (PARK RIDGE, Ill.) (WLS) -- The search is on for a gunman who sprayed a car with bullets hitting a 4-year-old girl along with her brother and her brother's friend around 10:30 Sunday night in the 4200 block of North Central Avenue in the Portage Park neighborhood.

Police say this very well could be a case of mistaken identity. It is also unclear whether the gunman realized there was a 4-year-old girl in the back seat of the car.

Shyla Rivera was in the car with her two older brothers and two of their friends.

She was transferred from the emergency room at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge to a regular room, a good sign that she is doing a lot better.

Seventeen-year-old Javier Rosario is in a great deal of pain Monday afternoon. Not only from the gunshot wounds to his leg, but because of the injuries to his 4-year-old sister, Shyla Rivera.

"Once I seen my little sister with blood on her, I started busting tears, Rosario said. "I was scared. I didn't think she got shot, I thought it was just me and my friends, so when the ambulance came, I was just like, 'Just get my sister. I'm okay, just get my little sister.' Just paranoid. I love that little girl."

Rosario, about to start his senior year at Steinmetz High School says he never got a good look at the gunman, who police say was in a gray or beige Infiniti.

After being shot, they pulled into the 7/11 at Irving Park Central, where they called for help.

Paramedics brought the little girl to the hospital.

"She has a little bit of recovery to do," said Mirna Ferrer, the victim's grandmother. "She's in a lot of pain, but she's going to be okay, and we just want everybody to respect our privacy for just a little bit because this is a lot to take in."

Her family says Shyla is their little princess. One bullet hit her near her hip.

Javier Rosario says whoever fired the shots must have mistaken he and his friend in the car for someone else.

They don't live in the neighborhood. They were just there to play basketball. And they have nothing to do with gangs or trouble.

"I'm not a bad kid, everybody knows that if you know me," Rosario said. "I play basketball, go to school. I got one more year, I'm about to finish."

It is unclear what led the gunman to open fire at the car. He fired at least nine shots. Police have nobody in custody.

Get more Local »

local

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•