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9-Year-Old Girl Critically Wounded, Man Also Struck In Shooting At 79th And Maryland

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A young girl was shot in the head and critically injured Thursday afternoon on the cusp of the Grand Crossing and Chatham communities.

At 2:45 p.m., a 9-year-old girl and a 61-year-old man were approached by an unknown vehicle at 79th Street and Maryland Avenue, and someone inside shot them both, police said.

The girl was struck in the head and was taken to the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital in critical condition.

The man was shot in the foot and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.

Scanner traffic indicated that the assailant was in a white Jeep headed west on 79th Street, but police have not directly confirmed that description.

As CBS 2's Tara Molina reported, a dark car with a shattered back window was spotted at the scene. Police would not say how it was connected to this crime scene.

"Kids shouldn't be a part of none of this," said Chavathian Allen.

Allen lives a couple blocks away from the scene with her family. She was on her way to the beauty shop when she found out about the shooting - and said incidents such as this is why she keeps them so close.

She asked Molina the name of the little girl – which has not yet been released – because Allen is sure her family knows her.

"It's heartbreaking," Allen said. "It kind makes me not feel bad for not allowing my kids to be out that much or go too far."

No one was in custody Thursday afternoon. Area Two detectives were investigating.

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