LATEST: Man was trying to disassemble gun when bullet struck toddler, authorities say

RAMONA, Calif. – A toddler was shot and wounded in the leg Sunday and taken to a medical center by her mother, sheriff’s officials said.

The 2-year-old girl was taken to Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group in Santee at about 11:14 a.m. Sunday, the Sheriff’s Department said. She is expected to survive.

“Such a tragic thing to happen to such a young baby,” said Erin Joseph, who lives in the neighborhood.

Investigators were at the hospital Sunday afternoon and at a home in the 24200 block of Sargeant Road that was surrounded by police tape.

“We noticed that they were walking around the outside of the house and looking underneath the car tarp over there,” Joseph said. “[Deputies] came over and talked to us and they asked if we had seen or heard any arguing or heard any gunshots and we hadn’t heard anything.”

Neighbors said a lot of people live at the house where the child was shot, but no one in the immediate area seemed to know them.

Detectives are investigating on what led up to the child being shot. There are no outstanding suspects. 

City News Service contributed to this report.