SAN ANTONIO — Note: The following story contains details and images that may be graphic for some.
The family of 5-year-old Karter Richardson said the boy loves football so much that he's cradling a ball in his hospital bed as he struggles to recover from being shot four times in a June 2 attack intended for someone else.
Relatives said the boy, who dreamed of football as a career, lost his left eye from damage sustained by one 7.62-caliber bullet. They said bullet fragments remain in his brain and, in the narrative for an online GoFundMe effort, relatives wrote he may need specialized care for the rest of his life.
Karter, they said, is a fighter who is making great progress after the shooting on Eisenhauer Road that killed 15-year-old Christopher Telfair. Firearm experts told KENS 5 the caliber used in the attack is designed to fracture when it hits bone.
Two of Karter's younger siblings, ages 2 and 6 months, were beside him in the back seat of a car, according to relatives. They weren't shot, but two others were.
Relatives said the children's mother had gone to an apartment complex to pick up a friend when they were caught in the middle of the drive-by attack.
In addition to the head injuries, the family said a bullet shattered one of Karter's knees while another went into his back, tearing through his stomach and intestine.
The family said doctors are hopeful the boy will improve enough to be released from the hospital soon. But he has a long road of recovery ahead, with more surgeries looming.
Relatives are hoping the community rallies to support the boy along the way as they try to keep his spirits up while he recovers.
No suspects have been arrested or identified in the shooting.
San Antonio Police say they have updates on the case but the investigation is ongoing.
SAPD Homicide Detectives are currently working the case to find any potential leads that may help solve this case.
If anyone has any suspect information on this shooting, citizens can call SAPD’s Homicide unit at 210-207-7635 or submit an anonymous tip via text message.
Text the keyword SATIP and your message to 847411 (tip411)
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