Texas Girl 'Fighting for Life' After She's Struck in Road Rage Shooting While Watching Cartoons in Back Seat

Ashanti Grant, 9, was shot in a road rage incident on Feb. 8 and remains hospitalized in critical condition

Photo: GoFundMe

A 9-year-old girl who was shot in the head in Houston, Texas, earlier this month remains hospitalized in critical condition.

In a news release, the Houston Police Department announced Ashanti Grant was shot in a road rage incident on Feb. 8.

On Monday, the HPD held a news conference noting that it is stepping up efforts to find the people responsible for the shooting. Ashanti was watching cartoons in the back seat of a vehicle at the time, according to ABC News.

"My advice would be to turn yourself in, because we're not going to stop until we find you," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said during the news conference, per ABC News. The news outlet added that a $30,000 reward is being offered for any information that leads to the arrest of the shooter.

"Someone knows … who committed this act," Turner added. "Put yourselves in the shoes of these parents."

ABC News added that during the conference, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner stated that while the child's condition is improving, she continues "fighting for her life."

Police say the scene unfolded while the suspects, a male driver believed to be with a woman passenger, were on the freeway. The two are suspected of being in a white GMC Denali pickup truck at the time of the shooting.

Authorities believe the family vehicle Ashanti was in was cut off several times by the suspect vehicle. One of the suspects reportedly started firing shots at the family's vehicle and Ashanti was struck.

"They apparently cut off the family's vehicle several times, then pulled behind the family's car and someone in the truck fired shots, hitting Ashanti," added the HPD, per the news release.

GoFundMe

In the news release, police described the driver as a Hispanic man with short hair between 20 to 30 years of age. Police did not offer a description of the female passenger, other than that she appeared to be Hispanic.

A GoFundMe account with a $100,000 goal was established to help Ashanti's family pay for medical expenses while the victim remains in critical condition.

The account was created by Natasha Grant, who claims to be the victim's aunt. It had garnered more than $25,000 in donations to help the family as of Wednesday.

According to her aunt, Ashanti is experiencing swelling and is in an induced coma.

She wrote, "This will be a long road to recovery for her. Funds will be sent directly to her family to cover any medical/recovery expenses that she will need to get back to her life."