MELBOURNE, Fla. — Police in Melbourne are searching for the gunmen who they said shot and injured a 15-year-old girl and police believe it could have been retaliation.
The girl was shot early Monday morning at the Shull Manor apartments. The victim's twin sister said both she and the victim talked to police after a murder at the apartment complex a couple of weeks ago. The sister of the victim said she's not sure if her sister was the target or she could have been hit by a stray bullet.
Some residents of Shull Manor said that when there's trouble around the apartment complex, it's best to stay inside.
"It was a bunch of girl fights. A bunch of girls. And just out of nowhere, you hear gunshots," Latesha Jordan.
Police said five shots were fired around 4:00 a.m. Monday. 15-year-old Nyara Warren had to be taken out by helicopter with a gunshot wound to the knee.
"She was just gushing blood," Tiara Warren, the victim's sister.
Rumors are going around the area of Shull Manor that the shooting was a retaliation of a previous gunfight a couple of weeks ago.
"That's what everybody was saying. That they think it was retaliation from when my sister and I were witnesses," said Tiara Warren.
On June 8, a 16-year-old boy was shot to death in the same parking lot and that also started with a fight between two large groups of people, police said. The Warren sisters told police what they saw.
"Many theories are abound. I'm sure they will be looking if it's related to the earlier shooting," said Lt. Curtis Barger.
Tiara and her friends said they aren't sure there's a connection, but they want the violence to end.
"I feel like it's very messed up. People out here are innocent, and people are getting shot for no reason," said Brittany Jones, victim's friend.
Tiara Warren said she is ready to leave the Shull Manor apartments and go somewhere else.
"It's getting out of hand. Way out of hand. I can't stay here," said Tiara Warren.
Police said that no arrests have been made in the case, and police hope witnesses will come forward. The victim should be coming home from the hospital on Tuesday.
The Melbourne Police Department is investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.
WFTV
