Girl, 12, fatally shot in US during ‘dispute over parking space’

A 12-year-old girl was killed in Baltimore over the weekend during an apparent disagreement over a parking space, police in the US city said.

The girl was caught in the crossfire of bullets between two men who police said were allegedly fighting over a parking space in a park where children were playing American football.

In addition to the young girl, another woman was also found with gunshot wounds when police arrived on the scene. Two men also visited area hospitals for injuries related to the shooting, police said.

Police are now searching for at least two suspects, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said at a news conference.

“What we know is there was some type of argument between two cowards,” Worley said. “They both opened fire on each other. In the crossfire, a 12-year-old little girl, who was probably down there watching football, was shot and killed.”

Worley said the girl, who police have not named, was not a target of the shooting.

The girl was pronounced dead in hospital. The other three individuals who were injured have non-life-threatening injuries, Worley said.

The incident happened after 18:00 EDT (23:00 BST) on Saturday.

Authorities are still investigating the shooting and have asked any witnesses to bring information to police.

It remains unclear how many shots were fired, Worley said.

“Two grown men got into an argument, and now a 12-year-old is gone,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said at the news conference.

“We never should have to say something like that. What happened out here today is one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen in my life.”