8-year-old shot at KC Price Chopper leaves hospital with two bullets lodged in body

An 8-year-old shooting victim leaving a Kansas City hospital Thursday was greeted by a black stretch limousine and a bouquet of balloons.

Three days after being shot three times as an innocent bystander during a gunfight Tuesday night in the parking lot of a south Kansas City Price Chopper, the young girl still had two bullets lodged in her body.

And the shooter remained on the loose.

Kansas City police said no arrests have made in the shooting in the 9500 block of Blue Ridge Boulevard. Detectives continue to look for a dark-colored SUV seen leaving the grocery store parking lot.

A man was also seriously injured in the shooting.

Since Tuesday night, family members have held vigil, prayed and waited for surgeons to remove bullets from the girl’s stomach. However, doctors were able to extract only one of them.

The two other bullets would have to remain for the time being. They were too risky to remove, the girl’s grandmother said Thursday.

But on Thursday there was joy and happiness for family members waiting in the hospital’s circle driveway.

“I am so overwhelmed right now,” the grandmother said. “I am teared up but I’ve got to hold up … I don’t want her to see me crying right now.”

When the girl emerged from the hospital, being pushed in a wheelchair by a relative, the grandmother burst into tears.

“Oh my grandbaby,” she shouted as she raced toward the limousine. “Hi baby, can I get a hug.”

Tears flowed as the two embraced. Relatives then helped the girl into the car. The grandmother retreated into the arms of a relative and quietly sobbed.

The shooting Tuesday night stemmed from an armed encounter between several people, police said.

Details of what prompted the shooting have not been released. An unknown suspect fired shots at the victims in the parking lot.

An armed security guard opened fire in an effort to stop the incident. Police said none of the guard’s gunshots hit anyone.

Police at one point thought that a total of three people were wounded, but they clarified Wednesday that there were two victims.

“We are hopeful for a fast recovery,” said Kansas City police spokesman Sgt. Jake Becchina. “And we would love for someone to come forward with information to help us apprehend the suspects.”

The 8-year-old victim had gone to the store with her mother when she was shot, the grandmother said.

“If you know who did it, turn them in,” she said. “If you did it, turn yourself in. Let’s make this better, let’s make this right. We already forgive you, just turn yourself in and let’s just make it OK.”

The grandmother said she remains hopeful that the shooters will soon be arrested. She also said the gun violence in the city has to end.

“We still want justice,” she said. “We need these shooters found. We have an 8-year-old baby with two bullets in her stomach going home.

“She should be worried about Barbie dolls, not bullets.”

This story was originally published October 25, 2018 at 6:55 PM.