A shocking news has emerged from Chicago where a 9-year-old girl was killed by her neighbour when she was playing on her scooter and savouring a serving of ice cream, according to The Washington Post. Serabi Medina’s joyful moments turned into a horrifying nightmare when the neighbour from across the street walked over and fatally shot her in the head last Saturday. These heartbreaking details have emerged from court records, the outlet further said.
“Always happy, loving. She would run up and hug everybody. A smile that would light up Chicago,” the girl’s cousin told the Post. She was excited to start fourth grade later this month.
The perpetrator of this heinous act, 43-year-old Michael Goodman, was charged with first-degree murder. After a Tuesday hearing, he was being held without bail in Cook County.
Goodman lives in an apartment building across the street from Serabi’s house. Her family said they did not know Goodman.
The dreadful incident unfolded on a seemingly ordinary summer evening in the Portage Park neighbourhood, shortly before 9:30 pm, reported NBC News. According to the account presented during Goodman’s bail hearing, a gunshot resounded from across the street, interrupting Serabi’s ordinary night. In response, her father, who was holding the ice cream given to him by his daughter, urged her to seek refuge inside their apartment while riding her scooter.
Tragically, just then, Goodman emerged with a gun his his hand, and advanced toward Serabi near the entrance of their apartment building. Her father shouted at Goodman demanding an explanation, but he ignored him and continued his ominous march towards the apartment vestibule, the outlet further said.
In a desperate bid to protect his daughter, Serabi’s father raced towards her, but he was unable to get to her in time. Goodman raised the gun and mercilessly shot the child in the head, as per the court records.
Serabi’s father managed to subdue Goodman as they grappled and fell to the ground. During this struggle, the firearm discharged, striking Goodman in the eye, NBC News reported citing the court documents.
The motive behind this senseless act was not explicitly detailed in the presented account.
Authorities reported that Goodman was in critical condition at a hospital following the incident. However, a day before the shooting, he reportedly confronted Serabi and her father about noise levels in the neighbourhood, according to a friend of the family, Megan Kelley. She indicated that Goodman had a history of complaining about children playing in the area.
Goodman’s lawyer informed the court about his severe mental health issues after which an order for immediate psychiatric treatment was issued by the court.
After the incident, investigators recovered a 9mm shell casing near the vestibule and a 9mm Canik firearm from inside. Furthermore, a search of Goodman’s residence revealed a 9mm bullet embedded in a wall, as detailed in the court documents.