Girl waits for a photo with a photo of an Easter bunny when a shop owner in California shoots thieves

A Southern California shoe store owner opened fire on two store robbers, but mistakenly shot a 9-year-old girl who was preparing to take a photo of her with an Easter bunny at the mall, police said.

The store owner fled the state and was arrested in Nevada, authorities said Wednesday.

Marqel Cockrell, 20, kicked the thieves out of the store Tuesday night at Victor Valley Shopping Center in the small city of Victorville when he “shot multiple shots at the thieves.” Victorville Police said in a statement.

“Cockrell’s shots missed the thieves and hit the 9-year-old female victim instead,” the statement said.

The girl, identified by family members as Ava Chruniak, was getting ready for a photo with the Easter bunny in the shopping mall when the shot was fired, her grandmother, Robin Moraga-Saldarelli, said.

Moraga-Saldarelli said the girl was left with three gunshot wounds, including two in the arm.

at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here