Woman speaks out after being shot by apparent stray bullet in West Rogers Park apartment

'I feel lucky I'm at home, and I don't know why that person did that to me. I have no idea,' 25-year-old said

John Garcia Image
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Chicago woman speaks out after being shot by apparent stray bullet
There was a Chicago shooting early Tuesday morning. A woman was shot by an apparent stray bullet inside a Fitch Avenue home in West Rogers Park.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 25-year-old Chicago woman is back home, after being hit by an apparent stray bullet inside her apartment early Tuesday morning.

The bullet came through her fourth-floor apartment window.

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The shooting happened in Chicago's West Rogers Park neighborhood in the 2500-block of West Fitch Avenue about 12:30 a.m.

Chicago police are investigating to try to determine where the bullet came from.

Charlotte Birinda showed the spot on her back, where doctors bandaged her. She had no idea at first when it happened.

"We just heard a noise, like a window breaking, then I feel like something hit my back," Birinda said.

Birinda's sister was on the couch while she was braiding Birinda's hair, as she sat on the living room floor. They called police, who responded quickly.

SEE ALSO: Chicago shootings: At least 31 shot, 5 fatally, in Labor Day weekend gun violence, police say

Birinda and her family moved to the U.S. from Zambia a little more than two years ago. They've had no experience with gun violence until now.

"I don't even know if it's a gun or not because I've never heard a gun before," sister Cecilia Birinda said.

Police searched inside the apartment and below in the courtyard for the shell casing. But they have not yet found it.

A building engineer was at the home Tuesday morning to replace the window with the bullet hole in it.

Birinda said she has a lot of pain from the bullet wound, but she is happy to be out of the hospital.

"I feel lucky I'm at home, and I don't know why that person did that to me. I have no idea," Birinda said.

Chicago police said they were continuing to investigate, but, at this point, have no one in custody and no suspects.

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