Benton Harbor woman shot in the head by stray bullet while lying in bed

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. --- A Benton Harbor woman is in critical condition Monday after she was struck in the head by a stray bullet while lying in bed watching TV.

On-duty Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety officers heard gun fire near Broadway Park around 11:05 p.m. on Saturday.

While officers responded to the call, they learned that a 66-year-old woman was struck by a gunshot.

Police said several people ran from the park and they are now looking to find those people to determine involvement.

BHDPS officers called it a senseless act of violence and do not believe the victim was the intended target.

Crime and violence is no stranger to the area, according to neighbors. Still, neighbors said they were in shock that this could happen, especially in a place where a person should feel the safest.

“She hadn’t done nothing to anybody,” Ray McClinton, a neighbor. “She’s very easy to get along.”

One neighbor said he has grandchildren, but advised his daughter to keep the children away from the park because it is so dangerous.

“I don’t know what to say…to close the park or just have some supervision in the park,” said David Brown. “Police should just be in the park all the time.”

A tree is visible just one house down from where the victim was shot. The tree contains a list of names of people who have been killed in the area and those crimes have gone unsolved.

One neighbor, who is related to one of those victims, said it is time to come together and get something done.

“We need to come together down to City Hall or something to talk about building this town back up and give it a sense of living around here,” said Tokyo Guidry.

Police plan to review external residential cameras. If you have any information, you are encouraged to contact police.