US3 min(s) read
Published 11:57 06 Jul 2026 GMT
One heartbreaking detail has emerged after an 11-year-old girl was shot outside a McDonald's.
A young girl named Dora Belen Rivera and her father, Oscar Roman Miron, were struck by bullets while sitting in a vehicle outside the fast food chain in Hallandale Beach, Florida, on June 27.
Dora was shot in the head, while her father was struck in the leg. Her two younger siblings, aged two and five, escaped without injury.
After the horrific incident, Dora was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery.
According to a GoFundMe set up by her family, doctors were unable to remove the bullet.
"Doctors have advised the family that they are not removing the bullet at this time because doing so could cause even greater harm," the fundraiser page read.
The young girl is now recovering, but medics say she will continue "to receive specialized medical care and faces a long road to recovery".
"We are asking for your support during this incredibly difficult time. The funds raised will help cover medical expenses, ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, lost income, and everyday living expenses while Oscar and his family focus entirely on their daughter's recovery and helping all three children heal from this traumatic experience," the GoFundMe stated.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the operation, Dora thanked the emergency responders and medical staff who helped save her life.
"Thank you for everything," she said. "Thank you for the police. Thank you for the firefighters. Thank you for the doctors... It feels like I have another chance."
Police have said Dora and her family were not the intended victims, per The Sun.
Police allege the shooting happened after 18-year-old McDonald's employee Ralph N-Kosi Blue III became involved in an altercation in the restaurant's parking lot while heading into work.
Investigators say Blue fired a weapon at someone who was running toward him, but the shots instead hit the family's vehicle.
An arrest report obtained by NBC Miami states that surveillance footage showed a man chasing Blue before taking cover on the opposite side of the SUV occupied by Dora and her father. Blue is then seen raising his weapon and pulling the trigger.
He has since been charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill.
In a statement following the shooting, Hallandale Beach McDonald's owner Brad Ashlin confirmed the employee was no longer with the company.
"We are devastated by the shooting that occurred outside our restaurant. Our thoughts are with the father and young daughter who were injured, as well as their family during this difficult time," Ashlin said.
"The individual reported to be involved is no longer employed at our organization. We will continue to support the Hallandale Beach Police Department, including providing surveillance footage and any assistance needed for their investigation," he added.
While the 11-year-old girl continues her recovery, her father has since been discharged from the hospital. However, he said the family has been left deeply traumatized by the incident.
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