Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson says she was outraged by the news of a shooting death of a toddler and that the chief of police has reached out to state and federal officials to get help in investigating the crime.

The 2-year-old girl was struck by gunfire inside an apartment, though few details were immediately available.

Jackson says the crime is indicative of the wider issue of violence in the city and the community needs to be involved to fight it.

“This is a problem that must be addressed in every home, every school, every church and around every dinner table in Savannah,” Jackson said. “And parents, if you’re not having dinner with your children, it’s about time you did. Our young people aren’t going to do the right thing without your guidance.”

“This isn’t a problem that will be solved today, but we can start today.”

Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police say officers responding to a report of gunshots were told the child had been injured around
11 p.m. Tuesday at the apartment complex on Hampstead Avenue. She was taken to Memorial University Medical Center.

Police said in a statement Wednesday morning that the apartment "appeared to have been targeted" with shots fired from outside the unit.

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