Brawley community holds prayer for teen shot outside her home

BRAWLEY, Calif. (KYMA) - The Brawley community rose up in prayer after a 16-year-old girl was shot Monday.

Residents, church members, and bikers gathered at Abe Gonzalez Park to pray for the teen's recovery and to support her family.

The victim's father, Joe Cross, said the gunman entered through the back gate and shot the girl as she sat outside her home. The suspect remains at large.

Her father said despite the tragedy, he remains grateful.

"I feel like I want to do something," Cross told News 11. "Everybody's here for the same reason, and we want to help our youth."

The victim, Mia, was overwhelmed and brought to tears at times by the outpouring of love and prayers, as her friends from school and church showed up and surrounded her.

"I'm thankful that they pray for me and are here for the community," she told News 11.

The victim's father put out a call to action for the community to stand up against violence.

"So what can we do?" he asked the crowd. "We can bring together churches, schools, parents, counselors, community leaders, law enforcement, businesses, and volunteers. Create mentorship opportunities, youth activities, outreach programs, and safe places for our children."

Cross described what he sees as rising violence among the youth in Brawley.

"I've been living here in Brawley for a few years, and man, it's dark. It's dark out here, but darkness, the light is bigger," he said.

Reflecting on the tragedy, he said, "Yes, we have faith in God and faith without works is dead. So we got to put in work, you know. And sometimes something like this, it's an eye opener. I just praise God that he didn't take my daughter because, man, I don't know. Even if this would have been happening, I would have been so broken that I probably would have been able to come."

Speaking to his faith, Cross said he prays for the young man who shot his daughter.

"I don't even wish him anything bad, you know. That's God. God's going to deal with it. But I would like also for prayers for him and that he repents from his sins and that he gives his life to Christ," he told everyone at the event.

"We need to stop pointing fingers and start working together to find solutions," he added.

Law enforcement urges anyone with information to call the Brawley Police Department.