ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester's mayor will introduce on Wednesday his administration's latest response to violent crime that's put the city on pace to exceed last year's record number of homicides.
Shootings into occupied houses have become an all-too-common occurrence in Rochester this year.
A 10-year-old girl suffered four gunshot wounds while in her home.
As she left the hospital Tuesday, her mother said she wants her city to respond. For Carina Colon, pictures were almost all she had left of her daughter.
“All happened in the blink of an eye, she thought it was her last,” said Colon.
Saturday night, 10-year-old Rayna Lise was getting her hair done at her grandmother's house when bullets sprayed into the home.
“My mom ducked, grabbed Rayna and pulled her down but at that time Rayna had already been hit," Colon said. "My mom was slithering across the floor with her to get to the basement. And Rayna just kept saying 'I’m not going to make it, I love you guys,' giving her regards. [There] was just a lot of reassurance going on.”
Rayna was shot four times. The bullets hit her in the chest and shoulder, shattering the bone in her arm.
Investigators say the intended target of the shooting was a 32-year-old parolee living at the home.
Colon doesn’t know if that’s true, but says either way her daughter was the one who got hit.
“I’m like 'is it going to stop? Is it going to happen again? Is it going to keep going on? What’s next? I’m a little on edge,'” said Colon.
Rayna Lise is like most other 10-year-olds, she loves sharing a good joke and helping others.
Colon describes her as "my angel" because of her kindness towards others.
But this experience has changed her.
“She said 'mommy I’m not going to be mad at you. I’m not going to have attitude.' She’s trying to change because her life could’ve been over in the blink of an eye,” Colon said.
Colon says she’s not angry at the shooter. Instead, she wants to use this opportunity to call on the community.
“For that to happen to us, it can happen to anyone," said Colon. "Just want everyone to be aware that we need to come together and stick together because this has to stop.”