Michael Goodman, who lives in the same block where the shooting occurred, was arrested moments after fatally shooting Serabi Medina, Chicago police said Monday.
[Ads /]
CPD previously said Goodman, who is known to police, walked up to a group of people in the 3500 block of North Long Avenue in the city's Portage Park neighborhood about 9:40 p.m. Saturday.
He then shot Medina in the head on the sidewalk outside her home, police said.
SEE ALSO: Man in critical condition after exchanging gunfire with officers in South Shore: Chicago police
When her father saw the gunman, he tried to stop him. During the struggle, witnesses said the gunman was hit in the face with a bullet from his own gun, which police recovered at the scene.
The girl was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, and she died a short time later, police said. Chicago police initially said Medina was 8, but a family friend later confirmed she was 9 years old.
Goodman was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition.
[Ads /]
A memorial has been growing for the girl, who was on her scooter, and had just gotten ice cream moments before she was shot.
"I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this whole thing," said Angee Gonzalez Rodriguez, a relative. "It just makes no sense, no sense at all."
A vigil was held for Medina on Monday evening.
"She was a beautiful person with a big, big heart. It's just a shame that her light was dimmed. Just gone, completely gone," Rodriguez said.
It's not yet known why the girl was targeted.
"You killed an innocent child, an innocent baby girl for what reason? Now, these parents have to mourn their baby and everything else, and every time they turn around and look, they'll know it was across the street. Nobody's going to let their kids come around here and play. People aren't going to take their kids to this park because they are terrified. We just wanted to pay our respects to her and to her family. But it's just crazy," said Sue Kyser, who lives nearby.
Those who knew Medina, who went by the nickname "Bibi," said she was going into fourth grade and was looking forward to the start of school.
"No one should watch their kid get shot in front of them. That is wrong as a society," activist Flash ABC said.
Adding the family's tragedy, Medina's mother, 29-year-old Blanca Miranda, was shot and killed in 2018.
"How dare that you think that you can just take anyone's life - a child. What did that child do to you, or to anybody?" Rodriguez said.
Neighbors said the family moved to their Portage Park apartment shortly after her death.
[Ads /]
Many in the neighborhood say they are devastated by the weekend shooting.
"It just tears me up. It really does. I just can't get it out of my mind, just senseless," said Joe, a neighbor.
Alex George and his wife and child live down the street.
"We're thinking about moving. Unfortunately we have to think of our family and what's best for us," George said.
Goodman is due in bond court Tuesday.
The video in the player above is from an earlier report.
INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER | Track crime and safety in your neighborhood