8-year-old NJ girl shot in head by crossfire dies — cops, family plead for witnesses

CAMDEN — The 8-year-old girl who was inadvertently shot in the head when gunfire erupted on her block Tuesday has died.

Gabby Carter had been fighting for her life at Cooper University Hospital since the shooting. She died late Friday, her father said.

Gabby had been playing on the sidewalk in front of her home about 8:30 p.m. when a group on the street began firing at another person, prosecutors said.

Officials are offering a $12,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. The award amount was increased Friday afternoon from the initial $5,000.

Gabby is the city's youngest homicide victim this year. Nathaniel Plummer, Jr., 13, died Jan. 8; Antiqouns Beatty, 15, died July 2; and Rafael Vicente, 18, died March 22 — all from gunshot wounds.

This Camden County city is one of the most violent and crime-ridden in all of New Jersey.

The Courier-Post reported Friday that most of the city's 31 homicides so far this year have occurred in Gabrielle's neighborhood, where witnesses often are afraid to cooperate with police.

There were 32 homicides in Camden all of last year.

Anyone with information is asked to call the confidential Citizens Crime Commission hotline at 877-345-TIPS.