BANGOR — A 3-year-old girl is fighting for her life at a Bangor hospital as the result of a shooting at a Bald Mountain Drive residence on Wednesday, according to police.
The toddler, whose name has not been released, suffered a life-threatening gunshot wound to the neck, Bangor police Sgt. Cathy Rumsey said Thursday in a prepared statement.
Officers were sent to 54 Bald Mountain Drive at 4:42 p.m. Wednesday after a shooting was reported, according to Rumsey.
Detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, Rumsey said. She said Thursday there is no imminent danger to the general public posed by anyone involved.
Rumsey said the case has been forwarded to the district attorney’s office for review. Nobody had been charged in the case as of Thursday afternoon.
“It may take several days before this investigation is complete,” Rumsey said.
William Alley, who lives next door to where the shooting occurred, said Thursday that he arrived home after the incident on Wednesday evening to see the father of the girl holding her in his arms.
“I knew something was wrong. He was visibly upset,” said Alley, who works as a district manager in the circulation department at the Bangor Daily News. “He kept crying and saying ‘Don’t die. Daddy is here. Don’t die.’”
Alley said he ran into his home and retrieved first aid equipment and beach towels and met the father outside.
“We covered her with beach towels to keep her warm. I spoke to her, and she was conscious,” said Alley. “When I talked to her, she’d focus on me. Her breathing was kind of labored.”
Wednesday evening, neighbor David Smith said he heard one shot fired and believed the shooting was accidental. Smith said the gun went off when it hit the floor.
Sandra Smith, mother of David Smith, said she wasn’t sure how or why the gun discharged.
“All I know is that (the girl’s father) came running out and put those kids down over there and said, ‘Call 911! Call 911!’” she said.
According to the Smiths, the incident happened while the toddler was at home with her father and her two siblings, an older brother and an older sister. The child’s mother was at work, the Smiths said.
The Smiths said they were taking care of the other two children while the injured child’s parents are at the hospital. Sandra Smith said the toddler’s parents have lived in the apartment building for about five years.
Bangor Housing Authority director Mike Myatt said he went to the Capehart property after hearing about the incident Wednesday evening. He said he didn’t know details of what happened and hasn’t personally met the people involved.
“We’re still anxiously waiting to find out what happened, and our hearts go out to that family,” he said Thursday morning.
Penobscot County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said his office may not have a chance to review the case until next week.
Rumsey said more information on the case will be released when police have an update.
BDN reporters Dawn Gagnon and Alex Barber contributed to this report.
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