Police: Girl shot as California shop owner fires at thieves

VICTORVILLE, Calif. (AP) — Police say a Southern California shoe store owner opened fire at two shoplifters but mistakenly shot a 9-year-old girl about to have her picture taken with a mall Easter bunny. The suspect fled the state and was arrested in Nevada. Authorities say Marqel Cockrell was chasing the shoplifters from his store in the mall in the city of Victorville Tuesday and fired multiple shots. The child’s grandmother says the girl was left with three gunshot wounds, including two in her arm. She was airlifted to a hospital in stable condition. Nevada Highway Patrol arrested Cockrell several hours later. Records did not indicate if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.