Four teenagers have been charged in the death of 5-year-old Galilea Samaniego, the New Mexico girl killed in a drive-by shooting in Albuquerque while sleeping in a trailer home, authorities said.
At a Monday press conference, officials with the Albuquerque Police Department announced the arrests of two boys, ages 15 and 16, on charges of murder, conspiracy and other shooting-related offenses, according to a Facebook livestream from the Albuquerque Police Department and a report from the Associated Press.
Two brothers, ages 15 and 17, are still being sought by authorities on the same charges, police said. PEOPLE is not identifying the teens due to their age.
Police said they believe the girl was not targeted and that shots rang out during a dispute that escalated between two teenagers, one of whom lived at the trailer home with Galilea.
“We determined early on that a teenager who lived at that residence was the target of the shooting,” Deputy Chief Cecily Barker said at the press conference, adding that there were different families who were staying at the trailer home with the young girl.
On Aug. 13, at around 6 a.m., Galilea was sleeping in a trailer home at the Vista Del Sol mobile home park when the teens, who were inside two stolen Kia Souls, began firing, police said.
One of the bullets went through the trailer and hit Galilea in the head, and she was later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to police.
Police determined the Kia Souls were stolen the night before the shootings. Barker added that investigators were able to tie the shell casings to several incidents involving the same juvenile suspects.
Two Kia Souls seen in the area of the Aug. 13 homicide.
Albuquerque Police Department Twitter
At this time in the investigation, police said it’s unclear how the teenage suspects were able to obtain the guns.
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“If you see something, say something,” Barker told reporters when asked what neighborhood residents should do to help police prevent future shootings like this. “We all bear responsibility in this community. If you have kids in your neighborhood who you know might be struggling, please reach out to them.”
“Let’s work together as a community to come together and fight violent crime, especially when it involves our youth,” the deputy chief added. “I think we owe it to each other.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been created to help offset funeral costs for Galilea’s surviving family members.
According to her obituary, Galilea is survived by her parents, three siblings, and grandparents.
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Source: HIS Education