Security guard shoots 6-year-old girl at McDonald's

HOUSTON — A 6-year-old girl is beginning a slow road to recovery after she was shot in the leg Monday. Authorities say a security guard going after a shoplifting suspect shot and wounded the girl while she was in her car.

The girl's aunt, Jessica Montanez, told KTRK, "I'm grateful that she's alive, first of all, that's most important. Second of all, it's more so how the situation happened, it could have been a lot worse." Her daughter, Claire, is recovering after a three-hour surgery was done to take a bullet out of her leg.

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Police say 18-year-old Earnest Hudson was stealing an iPhone from the T-Mobile store nearby. As Hudson fled the store, police say T-Mobile's security guard, Christopher Bradley, started shooting at him. Ten shots were fired while Claire was in her family's car at McDonald's next door..

"They were at McDonald's, four o'clock in the afternoon, getting something to eat and her dad heard shots ring out and they ducked. All of a sudden, five seconds later we hear 'Daddy, I'm hurt.' Turns around and notices that she has been shot," said Montanez.

Claire was taken to the hospital. After surgery she was able to lift her leg. But it's unclear if she has nerve damage and the road to recovery will be a long one. "This is going to be expensive, and it's going to be long term. This is not something that's just going to, she gets out of the hospital and she's back to normal," said Montanez

Her family doesn't have insurance and has set up a GoFundMe account to help.

The security guard who fired the gun is now in Houston Police custody. It's unclear what charges he might face.

CNN/KTRK