Brooklyn boy hailed as hero for trying to shield girl from gunfire
Published: August 22, 2005
A 13-year-old Brooklyn boy was being hailed as a hero for throwing his body over a younger girl during a hail of gunfire.
Ellis Mercado was hit in the back by a bullet early Saturday as he tried to shield a wounded 10-year-old girl from further harm. Both children were hit by stray bullets after an unidentified gunman fired several shots at the stoop where they were sitting.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Ellis told reporters that he sprang into action when he heard the gunfire and saw that his 10-year-old friend, Destiny Liddie, had been shot.
He said he didn’t notice that he had taken a bullet himself until after he had dragged her to safety.
“I don’t know why they were shooting at us,” Ellis told The New York Times, “No one was shooting back.”
Both children were expected to be fine. Ellis was released from the hospital Sunday. Police were still looking for a suspect but said they didn’t believe the children were the intended targets.
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