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Search On For Third Suspect In Shooting Of 1-Year-Old

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cook County prosecutors said Thursday that authorities are searching for a third gunman in the shooting of a 1-year-old girl earlier this week.

Bond was denied Thursday for Gary Moore and Fredrick Dean, both 16, in the shooting that left 1-year-old Melanie Jasa critically wounded on Tuesday.

During their bond hearing, Cook County prosecutors said police were searching for a third gunman in the case.

Melanie Jasa was shot in the head at 85th Street and Muskegon Avenue in the South Chicago neighborhood Tuesday morning, while she was with her 15-year-old aunt walking the family dog.

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She remained in critical condition at Children's Memorial Hospital on Thursday.

Moore and Dean were both charged as adults with two counts each of attempted murder and one count each of aggravated battery with a firearm, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's office.

Moore, Dean and the third gunman — members of the Vice Lords — shot the baby while trying to gun down a man they believed to be a member of the rival Latin Dragon street gang early Tuesday morning, prosecutors said.

The gunmen were aiming their fire at a man riding a bicycle, police said. The bicyclist fled, as did the shooters, police said.

It was the uncharged, armed man who passed out guns to Moore and Dean as they stood in a gangway, prosecutors said.

The trio shot toward their 27-year-old target, who was riding a bicycle, prosecutors said. The uncharged man made an extra effort, chasing after his perceived rival. A bullet seared through the bicyclist's pants, creating a hole but the man was unharmed.

Melanie's aunt fell to the ground with the baby in an effort to protect the infant.

The girl was taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital initially then transferred to Children's Memorial Hospital, where she underwent surgery, police said.

The shooting happened around the corner from the infant's home, and a trail of blood led from the site of the shooting back to the home before rain washed it away.

The baby's mother is a Chicago Public Schools senior, a neighbor said. The teen lives with her sister, two brothers, their parents and the infant in a garden apartment of a home on the 8300 block of South Muskegon Avenue.

(The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.)

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