A 14-year-old Philadelphia girl and her 5-year-old brother were shot Wednesday night as they trick-or-treated, caught in a shootout between two men.
The children, identified by WPVI in Philadelphia as Mikaya and Mael, were trick-or-treating around 6:20 p.m. in the city's Olney neighborhood when gunfire broke out. Mikaya was grazed by two bullets.
Mael was struck in the leg, the news station reported. Both were brought to Einstein Medical Center, where the teen was treated and released. Mael was transferred to St. Christopher’s Hospital, where he is expected to undergo surgery to remove the bullet from his leg.
Police officials said the shooting is under investigation. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told WPVI that one of the shooters appeared to be very close to the children when he fired his shots.
The news station reported that shell casings were found within inches of a spilled bucket of candy left in the street. Investigators found a total of six spent shell casings from two weapons.
Mikaya told WPVI that her one thought when she was shot was about Mael.
"I was just focused on getting my little brother," the teen said. "I was just focused on getting him to safety and making sure he was all right."
The children’s mother told WPVI that she could not understand how her children were shot while trick-or-treating.
"It makes no sense to send your children out to trick-or-treat and then you get a phone call that not one but two of your children were shot," said the woman, identified only as Dominique.
The distraught mother said she is thankful that the shooting was not worse.
"I know there's a lot of mothers that don't see their children," Dominique said. "As hard as this was, I just thank God it was kind of minor as far as them living."
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