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A 5-year-old girl sitting on her grandfather's lap was struck and killed by gunfire Thursday evening at a home on Milwaukee's northwest side, police said.

The shooting was reported shortly after 6 p.m. at a home near N. 58th St. and W. Fairmount Ave., Milwaukee Police Capt. Eric Moore told reporters at the scene.

According to Moore, the home was targeted, and police were searching for suspects Thursday night.

Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn, who arrived at the scene later Thursday night, said two individuals approached the house and fired numerous times, with one bullet piercing a wall and striking the girl in the head.

Officers called to the scene entered the home and found the girl with a "devastating head wound," Flynn said.

"There is no reason conceivable that I can think of that would explain this wanton, violent act," Flynn said.

"We are going to find (the shooters). We are going to arrest them. And they are going to jail."

Flynn said the girl's grandparents live at the house.

"This is a stable, loving, working family in a stable working-class neighborhood where everybody is trying to do the right thing," Flynn said.

A woman who lives across the street from where the shooting took place said she heard about six shots before she called 911.

Numerous evidence markers could be seen on the pavement in front of the home near an intersection cordoned off by crime scene tape as officers scoured the area for clues.

The girl's shooting came one day after a 4-year-old girl was shot in Racine and a jury found Sylvester Akeem Lewis, 19, guilty of the shooting death of 10-year-old Sierra Guyton on May 21 on a north side playground.

The 4-year-old girl was reported in critical condition, and Racine police have reported no arrests in connection with the shooting.

Ashley Luthern of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.