Young man accused in shooting Antioch 11-year-old in head turns himself in
Suspect in 11-year-old Antioch girl shooting surrenders to police
The man suspected of shooting an 11-year-old girl in the head surrenders to law enforcement.
ANTIOCH, Calif. - The man suspected of shooting an 11-year-old girl in the head earlier this month is in custody after turning himself in to law enforcement, Antioch police announced on Tuesday.
What we know:
Ryan Hardy surrendered to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office on Monday night. He is the suspect in the Jan. 5 shooting that left a young girl seriously injured in the parking lot of her own apartment complex.
Antioch police said the arrest followed a week of negotiations.
According to Lt. Bill Whitaker, an investigator had been working closely with Hardy’s family to facilitate a peaceful surrender.
"After multiple conversations over the last seven days, [the investigator] was able to have the family bring him into the San Francisco Sheriff's and he was able to self-surrender," Whitaker said.
What we don't know:
While Hardy is now in custody, the motive for the shooting remains unclear.
Detectives went to San Francisco to interview him Tuesday morning, but Hardy requested an attorney and declined to provide his side of the story.
The 11-year-old victim was sitting in an SUV driven by her father when a bullet struck her in the head. Police have clarified that the family was innocent and was not the intended target of the gunfire.
Why you should care:
The girl is currently receiving treatment at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. While her initial prognosis was dire—having lost her eyesight and the ability to walk—doctors are now seeing signs of improvement.
"She's starting to get her eyesight back as well as being able to walk," Lt. Whitaker said. "Everything is trending in the right direction, but she does have a long road ahead of her."
In a gesture of community support, the Antioch Police Department returned the family's SUV after spending approximately $3,000 to repair and clean the vehicle following the investigation.
Neighbors welcomed news of the arrest, saying they were concerned for their safety and that of other tenants which includes many children.
"Huge relief to know that this guy is in custody," said neighbor Donna Ford, who lives in the complex with a 10-year-old relative.
Ford noted that the absence of the family and the 11-iyear-old girl has been felt by everyone in the building.
"She's always out playing on her bike... throughout the day, you see their family there. Now you see no one there. It’s kind of scary."
What's next:
Hardy is expected to be transferred from the San Francisco County Jail to the Martinez Detention Center in the coming days.
He faces several felony charges, which could include attempted murder and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU