As doctors fight to save the life of the 11-year-old girl her father has revealed her first words after the horror incident and says they are unbearable to relive
An 11-year-old girl is fighting for her life in hospital after being shot in the head by a stranger while sat in her dad’s car.
At around 12:40pm on Monday in the car park of the apartment complex the girl, who has not been formerly identified, was sitting in the front passenger seat when, without warning, the gunfire began.
Investigators say a gunman, identified by police as Ryan Hardy, opened fire on innocent bystanders without warning, sending a bullet through the car and into the child’s head. She was rushed to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland where she remains in a critical condition.
As doctors fight to save her life the girl’s father has revealed her first words afterwards are unbearable to relive. “She says, ‘Dad, why can’t I see?” he said in Spanish. “It hurts me so much. Those are words I don’t think any dad could handle.”
According to the Antioch Police Department, at around 12:40pm in the car park of the apartment complex the girl was sitting in the front passenger seat when, without warning, the gunfire rang out.
A bullet ripped through the back windscreen, pierced the headrest, and struck the girl in the back of the head.
The girl’s father, who has not been publicly identified due to safety concerns, said the shooting has left him numb with grief and fear. He said: “My family is everything to me. I feel like my heart is being ripped out.”
Police have identified the suspect as Ryan Hardy, 23, and say he should be considered armed and dangerous. Authorities said Hardy was identified through a combination of surveillance video, witness statements, and forensic evidence.
Investigators are urging the public not to approach him and to call 911 immediately with any information about his whereabouts. Police also warned that anyone who helped Hardy evade arrest, or who may assist him in the future, could face arrest as an accessory. The investigation remains ongoing.
According to a GoFundMe campaign launched by relatives, the family now plans to leave Antioch permanently for safety reasons, abandoning their home, jobs, and their community in the process.
The fundraiser states the girl’s recovery will require extensive medical care, therapy, and long-term emotional healing, with doctors unable to predict how much function she may regain.
“This family is honest, humble, and hardworking,” the campaign reads. “They never imagined needing to ask for help, but they now face impossible circumstances.”
More than $7,800 has been raised so far to help cover relocation costs, lost income, emergency living expenses, and ongoing medical needs.
You can donate to the GoFundMe page by clicking here.
