Bronx Mother Injured by Stray Bullet While Shopping

A mother from the Bronx was hit by a stray bullet near Fordham University while she was heading to the store to buy school lunches for her kids.

Starli Sanchez, a 34-year-old city employee, has been left traumatized after suffering a leg injury in the shooting that claimed the life of a 57-year-old man on the sidewalk in Fordham Heights.

“Honestly, the violence has gotten so intense that we’re thinking about leaving the city,” Sanchez, who is married and has a 10-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son, shared on Tuesday.

She expressed concern over the escalating violence, stating, “It feels worse every year; there are just too many people with guns in the city.”

“And it’s not just adults. There are too many kids with guns. The situation is out of control,” she added, emphasizing the need for action against illegal firearms.

Just before 7 p.m., Sanchez was walking to the store with her cousin when the gunfire erupted.

“I heard something behind me,” she recounted. “At first, I thought it was fireworks because I’m not used to gunshots. Then I felt something on my foot.”

In a panic, she told her cousin to run as they heard others mention a shooting. “You’re bleeding! You’re bleeding!” her cousin alerted her. It was then that Sanchez realized she was injured.

The shooting also resulted in the death of 57-year-old Kevin Jennings, who witnesses described as an innocent bystander. Authorities are still investigating the circumstances of the shooting, which reportedly stemmed from a dispute nearby.

Her husband, upon hearing the news, rushed to the scene, fearing the worst when a neighbor told him his wife had been shot. “I ran to the park and saw her. I told her to relax,” he remembered, visibly shaken by her condition.

According to police, Jennings was killed by a bullet to the head during the incident. Witnesses noted that he appeared to be an innocent bystander, though authorities have not confirmed all details of the event.

After learning of the incident, their daughter asked, “Papi, what happened? Is Mama okay?”

“I told the kids she was shot, but that she’d be fine,” the father recalled, while Sanchez reassured her children, although tears were rolling down her face.

Now recovering at home, Sanchez has her left leg wrapped and is using crutches to aid her mobility.

She reflected on her trip to the store, grateful that her children weren’t with her. “I really think it’s a sign from God that I didn’t take them,” she said. “My first thought was just to thank God that they weren’t there.”

Yet, she’s now concerned about how this close call might affect her children. “I’m scared about what they might think after this,” Sanchez admitted. “I used to take them to the park all the time, and now I worry they might be afraid to go out and play.”