An unfortunate incident resulted in the tragic death of a young girl when a ‘stray bullet’ hit her.
On Wednesday, January 22, four-year-old Rosalie Martin was with her family at a dentist appointment in St. Clair Township, Ohio.
During her time in the waiting room, local law enforcement was addressing a call regarding a potentially suicidal individual.
“Officers found the man walking down the street and attempted to talk with him,” the police department mentioned in a social media statement.
“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.”
Identified as Rosalie, the little girl unfortunately did not survive the incident, though the injured police officer did.
She was taken to the hospital after being shot, but sadly, she passed away.
Currently, it is undetermined whether the fatal bullet was fired by the police or the suspect who is now deceased.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support Rosalie’s family following this heartbreaking event.
The creator of the fundraiser wrote: “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, contributions have surpassed $48,000.
Additionally, Detective Dakota Wetzel has been recognized as the officer injured during this event.
In an update from January 23, St. Clair Township Police reported that Wetzel ‘remains in stable condition at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh’ after a surgical procedure.
“Detective Wetzel was able to open his eyes and give family members a thumbs up overnight,” the update noted.
“He remains in intensive care at the hospital but we are optimistic.”
For individuals experiencing a mental health crisis, assistance is available via Mental Health America. Contact them by calling or texting 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. The Crisis Text Line can also be reached by texting MHA to 741741.
If you have suffered a loss and need to speak with someone confidentially, you can reach The Compassionate Friends at (877) 969-0010.