The investigation into the death of a 15-year-old girl in Lowell as an apparent homicide, has shaken the community.
Authorities say a family member found the teen with traumatic injuries inside a Lowell apartment on Friday, the day of her 8th grade graduation.
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The Essex County District Attorney says police found her with multiple gunshot wounds on Lawrence Street when they got the 911 call around 6 p.m. Several shell casings were also found in the area, officials say.
Later that night, investigators started searching the apartment. A couple who lives in the neighborhood saw the police presence and heard the teens father shouting, “somebody killed my daughter.”
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The couple said they believe they met the teen before and can't wrap their heads around why someone would shoot an innocent girl.
"I think she's petted my dog many of times because I walk three miles a day and she'd be sitting out there with her family," the woman told NBC10 Boston.
A man who's lived in the neighborhood for more than 50 years said that he was stunned to hear the news. He also said police were in the neighborhood Thursday night. His son told him he thought he heard gunfire.
He said, 'I think I just heard gunshots.' And I said 'No, not around here. That doesn't happen around here.' And he said, 'No it was pop pop pop pop,' and I said, 'I don't think so,'" the man said. "And then maybe 10 minutes or so after somebody else must've called because I didn't think it was gunshots."
It's worth noting that the son heard that noise on Thursday night, and the victim's body was not found until Friday night. It's unclear if the situations are at all connected.
“Uneasy. Uneasy night’s sleep, I felt for the people. The parents gotta be devastated.” said one woman. “I have no words but for her family. What her parents must be going through. I just have no words.” she added.
The case is being investigated as an apparent homicide by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Lowell Police and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit. Neighbors told NBC10 Boston they do not believe they are in any danger.
More details were not immediately available.
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