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Little girl recovers in hospital after being hit by stray bullet
680News staff | Friday, May 22nd, 2009 9:29 am Police continued their search for a suspect Friday after a five-year-old child was shot in the back by a stray bullet while playing inside her family's west-end apartment.

According to investigators, the child was in her ground floor apartment on Bellvue Cres. - located in the Weston Rd. and Lawrence Ave. area - when one man fired several shots at a group of people sitting on an apartment patio just before 8 p.m. Thursday.

One bullet pierced through the window of the little girl's unit and went through her back and left lung before exiting her left side. Investigators said she was not the intended target.

The girl's mother rushed her daughter to a local hospital and she was later transferred to the Hospital for Sick Children where she remains.

Even though she suffered a collapsed lung, police said the young victim will make a full recovery.

Meantime, officers who arrived on scene found a suspect hiding in some bushes on a small island in the Humber River.

The man is under arrest, however, police have said he is not likely the shooter although he may know who is.

Many residents in the area said they are angry and hope the shooter is caught and put away for a long time.

This resident said "[...] Thank god my kid's 27 because you know if that was my kid I would really go crazy."

There have been nine murders and several other incidents of gunplay in the west-end since the beginning of 2009.