Toddler struck in drive-by shooting recovering; family says they were wrong target

12-year-old, parents home when bullets started flying, family says

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A 2-year-old boy who was shot Saturday when his home was sprayed with bullets during a drive-by shooting is recovering after leaving the hospital, family members said.

The shooting happened at 8:32 p.m. Saturday a home on 23rd Street in Orange County while the 2-year-old, a 12-year-old sibling and his parents were all home.

Officials with the Orange County Sheriff's Office said the boy who was shot was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center and released the same night.

News 6 is not identifying the family for their protection. Members of the family said they relocated out of fear of retaliation.

The boy's mother told News 6 her son was struck twice, in his neck and back. The toddler suffered some bruising and is sore but is home recovering, his mother said.

A 2-year-old boy was injured by bullets in a drive-by shooting Saturday Jan. 26, 2018. (Images courtesy of the family)

The child's father tried to protect the boy and a bullet came so close to his head, it took off some of his hair, according to the woman.

"If it would have started 30-seconds before my 12-year old’s head would have been blasted off," the woman said.

News 6 counted at least five bullet holes in the front door, one on the mailbox and several on the house. Members of the family said they counted around 50 bullets in the home.

The mother of the victim told News 6 she believes the shooting was random because they have only been living there since August.

Hours before the shooting, the victim's mother said an unknown person knocked on their door and asked for someone who the family does not not know.

"Someone knocked on the door asking for a JoJo," the woman said. "He didn’t like me telling that no JoJo lives there."

The couple told the person they didn't know who they were looking for and that the person didn't live at the home. Before the unknown person left, they said, "You'll regret this," the boy's mother said.

"The person who knocked on the door saw my 2-year-old," she said.

About two hours later, bullets started flying into the home, sending the family running for cover, the woman said.

Orange County Sheriff's Office officials said the shooting investigation is active and ongoing.

Stay with News 6 and ClickOlrando.com for updates on this story.


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