A Wisconsin toddler is alive and well after a bullet went through a wall and hit a 'Baby Shark' stuffed animal during a gunfight which took place near the child's home, according to local law enforcement.
Per the Madison Police Department (MPD), a three-year-old girl was sleeping in her cot when the gunfight erupted outside at around 8:42pm on Sunday.
Bullets hit several parked cars and homes. One of the bullets went through a wall in the toddler's bedroom and hit the stuffed animal, which was around five inches away from the girl's head. CNN affiliate WMTV reports that the child had been playing with the toy before falling asleep at the foot of the bed.
NBC15 reports that Tanice, the girl's mother, said she felt "lucky" but scared. "If the bullet would’ve came a couple more inches, it could’ve targeted her," she told the publication.
Investigators collected at least 45 shell casing from around the block. Speaking about the incident, spokesperson for Madison Police Department, Joel DeSpain said "We believe this may very well be a record number of shell casings found after one incident of gun violence."
Per WMTV, the gunfire came from two rival groups firing at each other. At the time of writing, no injuries have been reported, nor have any arrests been made.
Watch the police retrieve the bullet from the toy:And in a statement, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway asserted "Gun violence is not going to be tolerated in Madison. The people involved in this incident showed reckless disregard to human life, and we are fortunate no one was injured or killed. If anyone knows anything about this, it's time to speak up."
Madison Police have dedicated resources the Violent Crimes Unit and East District to the investigation, which is ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident has been requested to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014.
