Wesbank shooting victim, 7, recovering in hospital after bullet removed from her skull

Briley September, 7, was shot is in the head in Wesbank. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)

Briley September, 7, was shot is in the head in Wesbank. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jul 18, 2023

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Cape Town - The mother of the girl who was shot in the head said her daughter was making progress after the bullet was removed from her skull.

Briley September, 7, was shot on Thursday morning while standing in the front yard of her Wesbank home. She was playing alone when she was struck by a stray bullet.

Her shocked grandmother, Pauline Daniels, found her on the ground with blood oozing from her forehead.

She picked up the girl and flagged down a police van which helped transport the child to hospital.

“A person came to my house after the shooting and told me that Briley was not the target.

“I think when she saw people running, she became curious and went to look, but she never got out of the yard, she never goes out of the yard.

“There have been a lot of shootings in the area. Even after she was shot there were a lot of shootings; yesterday morning around 2am there was a shooting.

“It’s an everyday thing, at least after the incident the police are more visible.”

At the time, the girl’s mom, Berenice September, was at work but a phone call informed her about the shooting.

“I have not been okay since then,” she said. “I am trying to be strong for my other children.

“I come home every afternoon and go back in the evening and spend the night at the hospital.

“She has been sedated since the operation on Friday, but yesterday morning she moved her arm and leg and that gives me hope.

“I said to God that we have now passed the hard times and now he must take us the rest of the way so my daughter can come back to me and be my normal child who loves dressing up and doing her own hair.”

Daniels said she is also praying for her granddaughter’s recovery.

“She must come back home, we all miss her and we hope she fully recovers.”

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Cape Argus