BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA — An 11-year-old girl was at her home when she heard a knock at the front door. It was just before midnight, and the girl went to answer.
When she opened the door, the person on the other side opened fire, shooting the girl in the face.
“Although we are asking Bethlehem residents to be extra vigilant and to report any suspicious sightings, we do not believe there is any increased danger to the public at large,” the city’s police department said in a news release.
Police said the attack was likely not random, but that the girl was probably not the intended target. No other information was available.
The girl was taken to the hospital with significant injuries to her face, and she is expected to survive.
We could talk about why a person would shoot an 11-year-old in the face, but we already know that evil people exist. Instead, let’s talk about things that we can do to prevent this from happening again.
First, a surveillance camera at your home’s front door can be extremely beneficial on a number of levels. Having that ability to see who is outside can be good information before opening the door.
Second, be mindful of the time of day. This knock at the door happened just before midnight, which isn’t a typical time for someone to be coming over for a visit or delivering a package. Being extra careful after dark should be a consideration.
Police are still searching for the suspect, but have little information to go on. Hopefully they’ll be able to locate and prosecute them for this terrible crime.
