10-year-old girl wounded in Massachusetts shooting has died, family says

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM/Gray News) - One of the children injured in a deadly apartment shooting this week in Massachusetts has died, the family said.

The 10-year-old girl died just before 1 p.m. Thursday. She was wounded in Monday’s shooting in Springfield and taken to Boston Children’s Hospital earlier this week.

The girl’s grandmother, 52-year-old Kim Fairbanks, was also killed in the shooting. The woman’s other granddaughter was shot but was released from the hospital Wednesday, and her grandson was not injured.

Authorities say 34-year-old Victor Nieves walked downstairs from his apartment and opened fire at his neighbor’s apartment before taking his own life.

Fairbanks’ daughter Alyssa Straight said her mother died trying to protect her family.

“Be like my mom and offer to help our community. It is only through love. She loved every one. Be a good person, be a good neighbor, and hold your family tight, and that’s all I can say,” Straight said.

In the days following the shooting, community leaders continue to show their support for the family and also grieve.

“I am so distraught because I just supported this family whose one Monday the mother was murdered. I supported them as well and also the little girl, it’s not good. This is what we do to support families,” said Francena Brown, executive director of Families Against Violence.

The young victim’s aunt said her other niece and nephew are doing as well as they can given the circumstances.

There is also a GoFundMe page to help the family out with funeral and hospital costs. The page has already collected more than $19,000 toward its $25,000 goal.

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