LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Tragic news in the capital city. A child has been shot and killed near Downtown Little Rock Saturday morning. According to the Pulaski County coroner, the victim is a 7-year-old girl.

Police dispatch records show the first shots fired call was made shortly after 11:00 A.M. from Zoo Drive, but that may have been where the driver eventually pulled over once realizing what happened.

Under a beating sun Saturday, Little Rock Police searched for shells. Exit four of Interstate 6-30 was Westbound blocked as they checked alongside busy traffic for bullets after one took the life of a seven-year-old girl.

Nichole Harper visited Little Rock for the weekend with her family and can’t imagine what caused this.

“I have kids that age that are that age, so that’s very scary,” Harper said. “That definitely is kind of senseless. To me, that just seems like someone going around shooting for no reason, and unfortunately, it happened to hit a child.”

This is Little Rock’s 34th homicide of 2022, and this one is particularly painful to parents because of the age who died.

“It’s a shame period when anyone dies, but when you’re looking at a seven-year-old, I mean it’s just terrible,” lamented Terry Jackson, who traveled to Little Rock for the weekend.

Terry Jackson grew up in Little Rock, but he says things are now getting out of hand.

“We need tougher gun laws,” Jackson asserted. “I don’t know what it’s going to take to solve that problem, but we need to do something.”

Harper also suggested gun control but was at a loss for how to do it. “I don’t know what that would be, but I’m sure something is out there,” she said.

While parents are looking for solutions, police are looking for answers and whoever would kill a seven-year-old girl.

“I can’t say enough to say I’m sorry. I can feel your hurt,” Jackson wanted the family to hear.

Harper stated, “I hope they catch the person who did that and definitely praying for them and I’m very sorry for their loss.”

The little girl’s name has not been released by the police. This is a developing story, and Police say they hope to have more information soon.