6-year-old girl shot, seriously wounded in West Englewood

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 6-year-old girl was shot and seriously wounded Tuesday afternoon while sitting on her porch with her mother and grandmother on Chicago's South Side.

Tacarra Morgan was shot in the side in the 6000-block of South Paulina in the West Englewood neighborhood about 1 p.m., according to family and police. Her uncle told ABC7 that dozens of shots were fired, two of which went into the house.

"They weren't shooting at her," said the girl's grandfather Arthur Morris. "They weren't shooting at anybody on this porch, but the bullet did hit my grandbaby."

Tacarra was caught in the crossfire as a bullets sprayed through her neighborhood between a group and someone in a white SUV. Police have no one in custody, but said they are looking for the white SUV they believe the shooter was traveling in. Two other vehicles appeared to be traveling with the SUV, but police said it's unclear whether they are connected.

As the girl was on the porch with family, down the street, multiple vehicles turned onto South Paulina from 59th Street, said First Deputy Superintendent John Escalante. The vehicles stopped and started shooting at a crowd down the street. People in the group started running in different directions and the shooter continued shooting at the group running south on South Paulina, Escalante said.

Somewhere north of the scene, a second volley of gunfire started and one of those bullets hit the girl. She was shot as she jumped up to go into the house.

"This is unacceptable. This is a child, like any other child in the city of Chicago who should be able to enjoy a warm summer day and play in front of her house and play on her porch with her family," Escalante said during a press conference.

Investigators found shell casings more than a block away. More than 40 shots were fired.

"It amazes me that 43 bullets were fired in broad daylight in a Chicago neighborhood," said Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th Ward).

Tacarra was rushed to University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, where she underwent surgery Tuesday afternoon. She remains in critical, but stable, condition.

"This needs to stop," Anthony Morgan, the girl's uncle, said. "This don't make no sense the way people come out and shoot at people the way they do."

Escalante asked the community to come forward with information, noting that he believes the offenders are known troublemakers.

"I would be willing to take a bet that when we find those individuals they would have had prior contacts with the police," Escalante said.

A community rally, called "Operation Wake up," has been planned for 7 p.m. Wednesday near where the shooting occurred at 60th Street and South Paulina. The event is organized by community groups and the Chicago Police 7th District.