A teen girl was rushed to the hospital after she was injured in a drive-by shooting in southwest Miami-Dade early Friday.
The 13-year-old girl, identified by her mother as Lazara Retana, was shot in the area of Southwest 115th Court and 223rd Street around midnight.
Retana's mother said she was outside with other kids, including her younger siblings, when it happened. The girl was taken to Nicklaus Children's Hospital where she was undergoing surgery early Friday, the mother said.
Miami-Dade Police said she was critical but stable. Family members had tried to drive her to the hospital but were intercepted by police officers, officials said.
Police were at the scene early Friday. It's believed the suspects, who were in a red Chevy Astro van, opened fire on a group of people standing in front of their homes.
No one else was injured.
Family members said Retana, who attends Citrus Grove Middle School, shielded her siblings from bullets.
"She said she went to go cover her little brother and that is how she got shot, so she's trying to save another life and she gets caught up in the crossfire," said Retana's aunt, Melissa Altunaga.
Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
