Cops visit south Brooklyn girl who got shot in Times Square

Members of the 72nd Precinct recently visited a 4-year-old Brooklyn girl who was shot in the leg during the shooting in Times Square on May 8.

Skye Martinez, a Bensonhurst resident, was hit by a stray bullet. Police said  31-year-old Farrakhan Muhammad allegedly fired his weapon in Times Square while taking aim at his own brother and hit others, including Skye, instead.

Officer Gerber Fernandez and others from the precinct that serves Sunset Park, Greenwood Heights and South Park Slope showed up at the home on May 11, bearing gifts for the trooper who is still recovering from her injury. Initially, they thought that she lived within the 72nd Precinct.

“We had set up a basket full of gifts to give to her and then we found out she lived with the confines within the 62nd Precinct, but we still felt it was important to go there and wish her well,” he said. “The parents were very happy. They were very nice.”

He added that a 72nd Precinct officer was working in the area when the shooting occurred, and that officer also plans on visiting her soon.

“We are all given different details at different precincts, and he was actually at that location for the event that was taking place and he assisted,” Fernandez said. 

As for Martinez, she was happy to see the officers pay her a visit.

“You would never know that girl got shot in the leg,” he said. “She was very happy and said it was nice to see us. She was joking with us. A ball was one particular gift we gave her. She kept throwing it to us, and she was excited.”

Officers from a Manhattan unit were also at the home and gave her gifts.

Her mother, Sonia Romero Martinez, told Fernandez she is doing fine, considering everything she’s been through. 

“It was a good feeling to know even though she went through something so traumatizing that she could still smile with us and play with us,” Fernandez said. “Despite the tragic events she was all smiles. It’s always great to put a smile on someone else’s face and the very little that we do goes a long way. Not because we are police but because of how she felt.

According to the Associated Press, Muhammad was arrested Wednesday, May 12 in Florida, four days after the gunfire wounded people.

“This is what we do,” Fernandez explained of the incident. “As police officers we are there to assist, help and this is another part of that where we are there when someone needs help.”

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