16-year-old shot in vehicle on way to haunted house; mom raises concerns

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A teenage girl was shot on a I-465 near I-65 on the south side while on her way to a haunted house.

The girl’s family says it’s a miracle she survived the Thursday night shooting.

“It’s just really scary that you can just be driving and all of a sudden get shot,” said the victim’s mom, Melissa Campbell, on Monday.

Melissa Campbell says her 16-year-old daughter was only four minutes away from her sister’s home on her way to a haunted house with friends when someone shot her in the back of her head.

“I was very frantic trying to figure out what to do,” Campbell said.

Campbell says she was taking care of grandkids when her daughter called to let her know that she had been shot. She says the bullet went past the corner of the back window, into the headrest, and then hit the back of her head. Police say they’re still trying to figure what happened.

“When I really start to think about what could have happened I start to tear up or whatever, so I’m just beyond grateful that things aligned the way they did and that she had minimal damage and that she’s going to be fine,” Campbell said.

“I thought it was a dream. I’m very lucky to be here,” said the teenage girl.

Campbell says her daughter, who didn’t want us to show her face, has now spent several days at home fearful of returning to life outside. “She’s really nervous to be riding out in a car leaving home and just talking about it I guess with everybody because I’m sure everyone’s going to be curious about what happened,” Campbell said.

Overall, Campbell says she’s grateful her daughter is still alive and that she just wants other parents to know what’s going on. “Just to be aware that there are people out there willing to go to those lengths to hurt somebody for whatever reason,” Campbell said.