Police say a two-year-old girl is in stable condition after being shot in the face on a Staten Island playground this afternoon.
The little girl, named Samiya Bailey, was sitting in a gray stroller with her father, Michael Bailey, and his friend, Anthony Mahoney, outside a housing complex located at 55 Holland Avenue in Arlington, when she was hit by a stray bullet around 1:45 p.m.
The shooter fired from 20 yards away and intended to hit one of the men seated by the baby, according to police.
Bailey drove his daughter to Richmond University Medical Center, where she currently is in critical but stable condition, according to sources.
Police say the shooter fled the scene, and NYPD helicopters searched for him.
Authorities pulled over a suspect was pulled over while driving on West Shore Expressway near Bloomingdale Road with three other men. They were all brought to the 120th Police Precinct for questioning.
Michael Bailey is also being questioned by police to aid the investigation.
Neighbors said Samiya is a talkative little girl who enjoyed spending her days in the playground. They said she is an innocent victim of unnecessary gun violence.
"I don't know how that could actually even happen. I feel bad because I really knew the little girl. We had a close relationship with her," said an eyewitness.
"It's very scary. I have a grandson that lives in these buildings. And when you hear it's the baby, the first thing that happens is your heart falls. You think it's yours," said a local. "I wanted to cry. I started to cry, even though I don't know the child."
Residents also said more needs to be done to make their community safer and to end gunfights.
"I think they need to do something about the shootouts out here. It's fricking crazy," said a local.
So far, no arrests have been made.
Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
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