She was wearing headphones and didn't hear her father shouting at her to get down.

Police say that a 9-year-old Texas girl was shot accidentally by a man who was robbing an ATM.

Arlene Alvarez, her family and her father were riding in her truck back to Spanky's Pizza to celebrate Valentine's Day. A robbery occurred outside a bank nearby, and bullets started flying.

Arlene's father shouted at everyone to get down, but his daughter who was wearing headphones was the only one who did not.

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The unfortunate incident occurred at a drive-thru ATM at Woodridge Drive in Houston Monday night. According to police, Tony D. Earls, 41 ( pictured right), was outside the bank with his wife when a man approached their car and robbed them.

Investigators say Earls fired at the suspect as he fled on foot. He was shooting at a truck that he believed the thief had climbed into, and he got out of his car.

According to Matt Slinkard, Houston Executive Assistant Police Chief, the truck was actually carrying a family of five innocently driving down a street nearby.

"When we were being shot the first time, I told them to get down and she wasn't the one who did. Armando Alvarez, the father of the girl, said that she didn't hear him.

He stated that his initial instinct was to accelerate to escape the scene as soon after hearing the shots. Then he realized that he was actually driving directly into the fire.

"As soon I accelerate, what are your doing? He is already right next to you. The father, who was devastated, recalled that you are already moving towards the man shooting. "So, I suppose when I accelerate, he thought that I was with that man."

Arlene was hit in the head.

KHOU was told by a witness that the scene was described as follows: "I could see her talking low to her father and her dad was talking with her trying to comfort him," he said. "The mom was truly, she was really, she had a panic attack and was running around circles around her dad and daughter, just looking up at sky. It was quite scary to witness that.

Arlene was taken to the hospital in critical condition. She was placed on life support. Houston PD confirmed her death the following day.

Her dad stated that she believed she died yesterday. She died in my arms, as a father. This is not something to brag about, or talk about, but I witnessed her enter and she left.

"I knew that she was gone from last night. She was dead before the bullet reached her head. It was all I could see. Everything was there."

Police say Earls did not realize that anyone had been struck and fled the scene. Earls didn't realize what had happened until he called later to report the robbery.

He was initially charged with aggravated attack with a deadly instrument. The Harris County District Attorney's Office stated that these charges could be increased following the death of the girl.

The robber is still at large. In many states, anyone who is involved in a crime that results in the death of a person can be charged with murder even if they did not pull the trigger. TooFab reached out to the District Attorney's Office to see if this is possible.

Arlene is survived her by her two brothers, one of whom is just four months old.

Her dad stated, "We just had our four-month-old son." She wanted to change his diapers. She wanted to be a mother. She tried so hard to be mom.

The incident was described by Assistant Chief Slinkard as "unbelievably tragic."

He said, "It just shows, whenever there's guns involved in the crime, the risk to innocent bystanders can be extremely high."

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Title: 9-Year-Old Girl Accidentally Shot Dead by ATM Robbery VICTIM, Police Say
Sourced From: toofab.com/2022/02/16/9-year-old-girl-accidentally-shot-dead-by-atm-robbery-victim-police-claim/
Published Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2022 19:52:36 +0000

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