Woman Suspected In 11-Year-Old, Mom's Playground Shooting Spoke To Them Before Pulling Gun
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Police said a 31-year-old woman approached a mother and her 11-year-old son in a playground in Baltimore's Cherry Hill neighborhood Thursday before opening fire.
According to Baltimore police, Nichole George was charged with several counts of attempted first degree murder, first and second-degree assault as well as handgun violations.
"When a kid is shot in the playground, it's really shocking to the conscious because that's a safe place that we expect to have for our kids and for parents," said Police Commissioner Michael Harrison.
"We wanted the community to know that this was not something that they should be overly concerned about because we have a person in custody," he added.
George allegedly shot a 34-year-old woman and her 11-year-old son in the 900 block of Seagull Avenue on Thursday.
11-Year-Old Boy Shot In South Baltimore Thursday, Police Say
The 34-year-old mother is in stable condition. She was shot in her upper body.
The 11-year-old boy is listed in critical but stable condition. Harrison said the boy was shot in the hand and the head.
"It's devestating," a resident said. "I have kids of my own. Just put the guns down."
According to police, George approached the 11-year-old in the playground and at some point pulled out a gun a shot the boy and his mother.
George initially fled the scene, but returned a short time later and that's when she was taken into custody by police.
Police only know that George and the woman did not know one another.
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Currently, police do not know what the motive was for the shooting. Police are not sure if the child was a targeted or if the shooting was random.
Police did find a handgun on the scene.
Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 410-396-2221 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7lockup.
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