JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two girls were injured during a shooting at the Best American Inn located in the Baymeadows Center area on Wednesday night.
Jacksonville Sheriff's officers arrived at the scene around 8:07 p.m. to find a 10-year-old girl who had been shot in the leg. She was rushed to the hospital to receive treatment.
A second girl, an 11-year-old, received minor injuries in the incident. Police did not clarify if she was also shot.
The 10-year-old victim has since been identified as Nahla Ennis. Her father, Michael Ennis, spoke with First Coast News about his daughter's recovery.
Ennis said the bullet is still lodged in his little girl's leg. The doctors were worried removing the bullet would cause further damage, the father explained.
Both of the children were playing outside at the time of the incident. The shooter did not intend to hit Nahla but rather was using the kids as a shield, her father said. He believes the bullet ricocheted off of something and hit his daughter in the leg.
The incident was the result of a fight between a man who was on the top level of the hotel and a man in a newer model four-door sedan, in the parking lot, JSO said.
Police say the man on the top level fired at the vehicle, which then sped away in an unknown direction.
Ennis, who lives in Ohio, said he caught the first flight to Jacksonville as soon as he heard what happened and hasn't let his daughter out of his sight since.
The shooting happened just days after tenants were told to leave the extended stay hotel due to "renovation reasons" without any warning. They were given 24 hours to vacate.
If you have any information about the incident, please JSO at 904-630-0500.