8-year-old girl shot near DC playground

An 8-year-old girl is recovering after D.C. police said she was shot in the ear as she walked by a playground in Southeast on Thursday night.

Police said multiple adult men opened fire in the Woodland Terrace area. The girl was walking with her aunt when they heard gunshots near the playground. As they ran away, they realized the girl had been hit, police said.

Police Chief Peter Newsham said the girl suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, but if the bullet hit her an inch or two in either direction, the community could have been mourning the loss of another child’s life.

No arrests have been made in the shooting.

Police said later Friday that they were looking for a vehicle of interest linked to the shooting. The vehicle was captured on nearby surveillance footage.

Police are looking for this vehicle in connection to a shooting that happened in the 2700 block of Bruce Place Southeast on the night of Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. (Courtesy D.C. police)

Anyone who recognizes this vehicle, or knows more about the shooting, can call police at (202) 727-9099, or can text their tip to 50411.

WTOP’s Teta Alim contributed to this report.

Megan Cloherty

WTOP Investigative Reporter Megan Cloherty primarily covers breaking news, crime and courts.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up