Coroner identifies girl, 9, shot to death outside Anaheim apartments

A 9-year-old girl fatally shot Wednesday while playing outside her home in Anaheim has been identified.

Ximena Meza died at 7:56 p.m. at the UC Irvine Medical Center shortly after being shot, according to the Orange County coroner.

Ximena was shot about 7:15 p.m. outside her apartment in the 2300 block of West Greenacre Avenue near the Brookhurst Community Park, said Lt. Bob Dunn, a spokesman for the Anaheim Police Department.

She was struck at least once and received aid outside the apartment, Dunn said. Detectives on the scene are looking for witnesses.

Several people called 911 and reported hearing multiple shots fired.

It’s not known if the shooting was gang-related, Dunn said, but a gang in the neighborhood “claims” the area.

One witness, River Hernandez, told KTLA that he saw Ximena’s father holding her after the shooting, screaming and “begging to God that she lived.”

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