11-Month-Old Baby Shot Multiple Times, Killed A Block From School Where Biden's First Wife Taught

Syracuse police are asking for the public's help in identifying the gunman who fatally shot an 11-month-old baby and injured two other girls on Sunday night.

"Individuals like this should not have any shelter in the community," Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner was quoted as saying Monday by WSTM-TV.

The baby girl and two young children, aged 3 and 8, were riding in the backseat of a car when the gunman opened fire at the back windows. They were taken to Upstate University Hospital, where the infant later died of her injuries.

Authorities did not disclose the name of the infant.

The two older girls were sisters and reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries. One of the girls was discharged from the hospital Sunday night, WSTM-TV reported.

The mother of the two recovering girls, Shakema Buckmon, told WSYR-TV that the five of them were headed to the grocery store that night.

"I tried to save her. I tried. I tried to save my baby cousin," Buckmon said. "I tried to save her. But it was too late."

Findings from the initial investigation indicated another vehicle driving past the victims fired the shots. Police are attempting to gather video footage of the incident.

No motive for the shooting has been established.

Police said the shooting took place at the 300 block of Grant Avenue, a short distance away from Bellevue Elementary School where President Joe Biden's first wife, Neilia Hunter Biden, worked as a teacher from 1964 to 68, WSTM-TV reported.

Neilia, along with their 1-year-old baby daughter Naomi, died in 1972 when a truck collided with her vehicle. Beau and Hunter, their two sons, were critically injured in the crash but survived.

During that time, Biden was attending the Syracuse University College of Law. The president on previous occasions mentioned just how meaningful the neighborhood is to him and his family.

But the Syracuse police chief now considers it part of the most crime ridden section of the city and noted that it received the most police attention.

Buckner said the area is home to the most violent crimes in the city. The police chief also pointed out it was possible there could have been more casualties in the incident.

"These kids can't protect themselves. We have a duty as a society to do what we can to protect kids under these circumstances," Buckner said in the press briefing.