The 4-year-old niece of George Floyd is recovering in a hospital in Texas after a shooting took place on New Year’s Day.
Floyd's murder by a Minnesota police officer in 2020 sparked protests globally to demand justice for Floyd and police reform. Now, his family is crying for justice again.
Arianna Delane was asleep in the front room of the Houston home. Around 3 a.m., an unknown shooter fired several shots into their second-story apartment.
She was hit in the torso causing a punctured lung and liver, as well as three broken ribs. Arianna was rushed to the hospital for surgery early New Year's morning.
Derrek Delane, her father, told ABC13 News about the moment it happened:
“My daughter jumped up and said, ‘Daddy, I’ve been hit,’ and I was shocked until I seen the blood and I realized my 4-year-old daughter was really hit."
A family friend said she was able to walk for the first time since the incident on Tuesday.
The apartment where the shooting took place was the same home where Floyd's family gathered to watch the verdict of former police officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial.
While Arianna was immediately brought to the hospital by her mother, it took four hours for police to arrive on the scene.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner announced Tuesday he initiated an internal investigation to see why the response was so delayed.
Finner's message was tweeted from the Huston Police account:
"I am aware and have concerns regarding the delayed response time in this incident and have initiated an Internal Affairs investigation."
"I ask the city continue to pray for the child's full recovery and assist in providing information that would lead to the arrest of the suspect or suspects responsible."
No further official comments have been made.
But Derrek Delane believes this was a targeted attack:
"Why would my house get shot up?"
"My daughter don't know."
"I can't explain that to her."
"As the father, you're supposed to protect the kids."
Word of the delayed action from the police has sparked outrage and suspicion.
The police have yet to identify any suspects in this case.
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