Vallejo mayor proposes police task force following shooting that injured 4-year-old girl
VALLEJO, Calif. - Vallejo's mayor shared a plan of action Thursday to address violence in the city after a shooting over the weekend left a 4-year-old critically injured.
Mayor Andrea Sorce said the city is working to develop an inter-agency task force of law enforcement to keep the community safe.
"I think it's important that we bring together federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and elected officials to discuss our efforts and the resources that we need in order to keep our community safe," Sorce said
The mayor spoke alongside a member of the police department, a county supervisor and the executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice.
"We need to make sure that we have that trust so that the community can come forward, that they can feel comfortable sharing tips and most importantly, that they can give input as we work together, together to build that shared vision of public safety," the mayor said.
What we know
The backstory:
The 4-year-old girl, who has not been identified, was shot and injured Sunday evening when she and her mother were caught in a shootout near Mark Avenue and Sawyer Street.
The gunbattle appeared to have been between people on the street and others in a car. Several more rounds were fired a block away at Sawyer and Gateway.
Vallejo police were already in the area serving a search warrant in an unrelated incident in the Crest neighborhood when officers heard the gunfire.
Authorities said dozens of rounds were fired from at least four guns.
In response to the shooting, the mayor proposed a regional approach to addressing violence in the city – an approach that would involve agencies from neighboring cities.
"We know this violence isn't limited to Vallejo, and I think it's important that we have those regional partnerships as we work to address it," Sores said.
The police department did not provide much information on the shooting or the investigation. However, they did say the child is in "stable" condition. Nobody has been arrested in connection to the shooting and law enforcement did not share a description or details on a possible suspect.
‘Senseless act’
"This is a senseless act, and the community is tired and we will not tolerate it," Vallejo Police Sergeant Rashad Hollis said.
Local perspective:
Harold Dees, who grew up in Vallejo, told KTVU on Monday that he was in shock.
"You've offended and hurt somebody that couldn't defend themselves. What kind of coward are you that you pick on people like that?" he said. "We don't respect each other. You have to live in this certain parameter to be able to be respected and protected. And it shouldn't be that way."
The girl was transferred to Children's Hospital in Oakland, where she is being treated for serious injuries, KTVU reported earlier in the week.
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Her grandmother told KTVU, "We do thank Jesus that she is in the land of the living."
Those with information on the shooting should contact the Vallejo Police Department at (707) 628-4524.