14-year-old boy hit by stray bullet at home in Long Beach; suspect at large

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A 14-year-old boy is recovering after he was shot when a stray bullet went through a home in Long Beach, police said.

Officers responded to the residence in the 1500 block of West Burnett Street around 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

Police said someone fired shots outside of the home and a stray bullet went through a window frame, striking the boy. The victim's brother told Eyewitness News the bullet hit the boy's knee, which was elevated at the time due to a recent soccer injury.

Video shared with Eyewitness News shows a frightening scene as shots were fired.

"Just the way it could've happened, I could've lost my life, he could've lost his life," said the victim's brother. "The bullet was literally within centimeters of our heads."

The boy's family said they have always felt safe in the neighborhood until now. Their main concern now is making sure the boy makes a full recovery.

"He's responsive fully, he's doing ok," said his brother. "As of right now, the doctor says he has no major damage to his knee, so as of right now, his soccer career is not in jeopardy, but we're definitely watching over that. That's his future, so that's very, very important to us."

The suspect, who has not been identified, fled the scene and remains on the run.

The family believes the shooting was random though the incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police.