2-year-old shot with mom in Southeast DC remains hospitalized

FOX 5 EXCLUSIVE: Mother says bullet nearly killed her 2-year-old son

A D.C. mother says she and her 2-year-old son were hit by gunfire in southeast this week. FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez has an exclusive interview with that mother and the latest on the investigation.

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - The mother of a two-year-old boy who was shot while in the car with her in Southeast DC Tuesday night is sharing photos of her son, who is still in the hospital recovering.

Shermika Settles tells FOX 5 she wants people to see her son, Saí, because he did not deserve this.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 3 shot in Southeast including mom, 2-year-old son

Just after 9 p.m. Tuesday, officers were called to the 1500 block of Howard Rd SE for a report of shots fired. Shermika says she had just picked up her seven-year-old when she and Saí were shot while inside of her car. They drove to the 2900 block of Stanton Road SE where they were found by police.

Shermika started a GoFundMe following the incident.

"I noticed the windows started to shatter, it was so scary all I could think about was my babies are in the back seat," she wrote. "I put the car in drive all I heard was my tires blowing out and glass shattering. I pulled around the corner and dialed 911. I told my son to check and make sure he
was good at the moment he said mommy I'm bleeding only to find out it was his little brother's blood."

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Saí was grazed in the head by a bullet and Shermika tells FOX 5 he has swelling in his brain. He is undergoing an MRI Thursday, but Shermika says he will need to meet with a neurologist weekly for at least year.

"My son is two. He's innocent. He's not even sure how the world even works right now. So for him to have to deal with something so devastating, and he’s been through so much, so for him to have to deal with this on top of what he's already been through, I don’t think that’s fair to him," Shermika said.

She suffered an entry-exit wound on the arm and has cuts from fragments of the bullet and some glass all over. Her car is now totaled.

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"This is a bad feeling and I don’t know if they’re going to come for me again. I don’t know how to protect my children now because I feel like I failed them. Because it’s no way we should be in a situation like this, you know what I mean?" Shermika said.

Police are asking for the public's help as they work to develop a suspect or suspects. MPD Chief Robert Contee said it is possible that there was more than one shooter.

"This world and DC itself would be just so much better if people just take their time and like, just really love on one another and be there. Do the right thing," she added.

A reward of up to $10,000 is available for anyone with information leading to an arrest.

2-year-old, mom shot in Southeast Tuesday night

A 2-year-old boy and his mother were among three people shot in Southeast DC Tuesday night.