Girl, 4, killed by stray bullet from police shootout while she waited in dentist's office
A young girl has lost her life in a freak accident that saw a 'stray bullet' strike her.
On Wednesday (January 22), four-year-old Rosalie Martin was attending a dentist appointment with her family in St. Clair Township, Ohio.
While she was in the waiting room, local police were responding to a call about a possibly suicidal man.
"Officers found the man walking down the street and attempted to talk with him," the police department said in a statement shared on social media.
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"Almost immediately, the man opened fire. Officers returned fire, hitting the suspect. In the shootout, one St. Clair Township Police Officer was shot in the head.
"Additionally, a four-year-old child was struck by a bullet while at a nearby private business."
The child has since been named as Rosalie, and while the injured police officer survived the ordeal, tragically Rosalie didn't.
After being struck, the four-year-old was rushed to hospital where she later died.
As it stands, it remains unclear if it was a police bullet or the now-deceased suspect's that killed Rosalie.
A GoFundMe page has since been set up for the young girl's family in the wake of her untimely passing.
The fundraiser creator penned on the page: "As some of you may know, tragedy struck a local family today. The Martin family were at the dentist, where a terrible incident resulted in them losing their four year old, sweet girl, Rosalie.
"Jennifer and Jessel unfortunately, did not have any life insurance on Rosie, as they never expected to lose their precious girl at all, let alone this soon.
"This tragedy has left this family in shambles, but at this time, per the family, we are asking if anyone would like to donate to help them with the costs to bury their sweet Rosie & any expenses that the family may have while this family seeks the medical help needed to process their grief for themselves, and their three children."
At the time of writing, it has raised over $48,000.
Elsewhere, Detective Dakota Wetzel has been named as the officer who was injured in the ordeal.
In an update issued on January 23, St. Clair Township Police said that Wetzel 'remains in stable condition at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh' after undergoing surgery.
"Detective Wetzel was able to open his eyes and give family members a thumbs up overnight," the update went on.
"He remains in intensive care at the hospital but we are optimistic."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.
Niamh Shackleton