A nine-year-old girl was shot dead outside her Portage Park home in Chicago during a weekend that witnessed 27 shooting incidents in the city.
Serabi Medina was near her home, riding her scooter, when Michael Goodman, 43, a resident from the same neighborhood, confronted and shot her in the head on August 5.
Prior to the incident, Goodman had expressed his displeasure to both Serabi and her father about the noise from children playing. Neighbors confirmed that Goodman had often expressed concerns about such disturbances and they avoided him.
Post the shooting, an altercation ensued between Goodman and Serabi’s father, during which Goodman was shot in the face. The police arrived at the scene, detaining Goodman and securing the weapon involved.
Serabi was rushed to Stroger Hospital but did not survive. Goodman received medical attention at Illinois Masonic Medical Center and was subsequently charged with first-degree murder.
The Medina family had previously endured a tragedy when Serabi’s mother was shot and killed in 2019.
Serabi was a familiar face in the community, often seen enjoying her scooter rides.
