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Doctors working to save life of 7-year-old who was shot in head

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Doctors are working to save the life of a little girl who was shot in the head last Friday.

Police said Mariasia Thomas, 7, was sitting on a couch inside her Ellenwood foster home when someone opened fire from outside, critically injuring the young child.

Investigators suspect the shooter might have been targeting the homeowner or someone in her family.

“We do believe this house was specifically targeted,” said Dekalb County police Maj. A.T. Mears. “This young 7-year-old child is eating at the heartstrings of all these detectives, and they really want to solve this.”

The emotional plea for justice came on the same day that police announced a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest.

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“We have some leads that we are trying to track down,  but we really need the public’s help,” Mears added.

Right now, investigators are trying to figure out if the shooter acted alone. Investigators told Channel 2 Action News that there may have been a getaway driver who helped the shooter flee from the 3500 block of Satellite Boulevard.

Since the April 12 shooting, doctors and nurses have been working around the clock, trying to save the little girl’s life. Police said she had only lived in the house for two weeks.

“It’s just amazing that one day you’re sitting there watching cartoons on the couch, enjoying life, and now she’s just fighting day and night,” Mears added.

Detectives told Channel 2 Action News that they've been reviewing call logs from that night, trying to determine if there was any suspicious activity before the shooting.

“The first 48 hours are very critical in any investigation, so the longer this goes on, the colder it gets,” he said. “We really want to solve this and get these people off the streets.”

If you have any information about this shooting, you’re asked to contact DeKalb County police at 770-724-7850.