George Floyd's grandniece, 4, shot while sleeping in her bed on New Year's Day

In an unfortunate incident in Texas on New Year's Day, a young girl was shot in the early hours of the day while she was sleeping in her bed. The four-year-old was later identified as the grandniece of George Floyd, whose death in police custody in Minnesota in May 2020 had ignited massive protests against racism around the world.

A news release from the Houston Police Department revealed that the shooting occurred shortly before 3am on Saturday. Major Assaults & Family Violence Division Detectives A. Carroll and J. Roberts said in a statement, "A suspect or suspects fired several shots into an apartment at the above address as four adults and two children were inside the apartment."

The statement noted that the young girl was struck by a bullet in the torso. She was transported in a private vehicle to an area hospital where she underwent surgery and is currently in stable condition. The detectives said they have not been able to ascertain a suspect description or motive in the shooting yet.

The press release by the authorities did not identify the victim, but a report in Houston Chronicle claimed that the girl's name is Arianna and she is a relative of Floyd. The young girl reportedly also attended Black Lives Matter marches and rallies that had gained momentum after Floyd's death.

The shooting has reportedly left the victim with a punctured lung and liver, as well as three broken ribs. Tiffany Cofield, a friend of the girl's family, told the outlet that the young child is recovering "by God's grace."

Meanwhile, Arianna's father Derrick Delande suggested to KTRK-TV that the authorities were negligent and did not show up at their residence until 7am, four hours after the shooting. Floyd's sister, LaTonya, said that the EMTs took so long to arrive that Arianna's father himself drove her to the hospital.

Police Chief Troy Finner said in a statement posted to Houston Police's Twitter account that they will be investigating the delay. He stated, "I am aware and have concerns regarding the delayed response time in this incident and have initiated an Internal Affairs investigation. I ask the city continue to pray for the child's full recovery and assist in providing information that would lead to the arrest of the suspect or suspects responsible."