A 4-year-old girl in Chandler, Arizona, was almost hit by two gunshots fired into the window of her grandfather’s barbershop by a disgruntled patron of a nearby tattoo parlor, police said.
Surveillance video released on Wednesday shows the girl sitting in a barbershop chair on Monday when a bullet suddenly crashes through the window, just inches from her head. Seconds later, a second shot pierces the window on the other side of the girl’s head, sending her running away screaming.
The unidentified girl was hit by flying glass. She was treated for minor injuries at a nearby hospital, according to AZFamily.com.
Investigators said the shots were fired by a man upset that he was asked to leave Damaged Ink Tattoo, located next door to the barbershop, according to AzCentral.com.
“Investigators believe that the shooter was outside in the parking lot,” Sgt. Daniel Meija told Phoenix TV station KPHO. “We believe that the intent was to shoot towards the tattoo shop, but ended up striking the business, which is right next door, which is the barbershop.”
“I heard five gunshots go off in a row and then heard a woman screaming and a baby crying as well,” said Michelle Cohrs, who was inside a chiropractor’s office in the same shopping center. “I was extremely scared.”
Tattoo parlor employees quickly identified 23-year-old Michael Hart as the suspect. They said he was a regular at the business.
Hart told his girlfriend he had “popped off” some rounds, she said in an interview with investigators, according to what Chandler Detective Seth Tyler told AzCentral.com.
Hart was charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of child endangerment, one count of discharging of a firearm within city limits, one count of possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, and one count of discharging a firearm at a non-residence.
A second suspect, 21-year-old Rafael Santos, was arrested after a witness reported seeing him with Hart at the time of the shooting. He has been charged with discharging a firearm at a non-residence, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and two counts of endangerment of a minor.
In the mugshots below, Hart is on the left, and Santos is on the right.
Related
Before You Go
