Maryland girl critical from bullet shot in air on New Year's Eve

The neighborhood in Elkton, Md., where a 10-year-old girl was shot during celebratory gunfire on New Year's Eve. / WJZ

New Year's Eve partying took a heartbreaking turn when a 10-year-old got caught in celebratory gunfire in Maryland.

CBS Baltimore affiliate WJZ reports the girl is on life support after getting shot in the head in Elkton after someone fired a gun into the air at midnight.

Lt. Michael Holmes told WJZ the girl was visiting from Pennsylvania and watching the fireworks with her family.

"There was numerous shots fired in the area. After speaking to witnesses, a shot was fired in the air and a bullet came down and struck the child in the head, causing the head trauma," Holmes said.

Neighbors say they heard the boom from the fireworks that night, but now wonder if any of the loud noises were actually gunfire.

Investigators are still looking for the person who fired the stray bullet and are canvassing the neighborhood, police said.

[GossamerWings]

Some people are too stupid to own weapons. I hope this poor child gets better.

[enlightenu]

Maryland, Afghanistan, same difference

[caljack430]

People are so stupid sometimes. We don't hear about these kinds of 'accidental' shootings happening all that often, but it still happens more than it should. BULLETS COME BACK DOWN PEOPLE! What makes these moron's think that gravity doesn't apply when they fire their gun straight up into the air? Just because you don't SEE it fall back down doesn't mean it suddenly goes into orbit.

[ToolMangler1]

My cousin was killed by a .22 cal bullet fired from nearly a mile away. what goes up must come down...

[erasmus111]

ToolMangler1

Now see, if there were no guns this girl and your cousin would still be alive. And there are plenty more of these kinds of accidents.