A 5-year-old girl is dead after police say another child in the Merced home shot her, KTLA’s sister station in Fresno, KSEE/KGPE, reported.
Officers were called to the area of 26th Street and Hawthorne Avenue at around 2:30 p.m following a report of a gunshot at a home. They also received a report of a vehicle leaving a nearby hospital at a high rate of speed.
Officers established that the 5-year-old girl was dropped off at the hospital with a single gunshot wound, and later died from her injuries.
According to Merced Police, the driver of the vehicle leaving the hospital started a high-speed pursuit but was eventually arrested.
Rodney Matthews, 44, was arrested and booked on charges of child endangerment which resulted in the death of a child, felony reckless driving while evading officers, and a prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Matthews was also identified as the victim’s father.
No further details were immediately available.