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Teen and 5-year-old injured after nearby shooting while in dance class in Athens, police say

Officials said it happened around 5:03 p.m. on Wednesday.

ATHENS, Ga. — UPDATE: An arrest has been made in the shooting.

A 5-year-old girl and a teen were hospitalized following a shooting at an Athens shopping plaza Wednesday evening, police said.

Officers with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department were called to a shopping center at 494 North Avenue just around 5:03 p.m.

When they arrived, they found two children with injuries. A 5-year-old girl was shot in her eye. Family members said the bullet split her eye, causing her to possibly need a transplant.

Authorities also said that a 14-year-old girl was also shot in her arm. Both were taken to the hospital.

Family members said the girls were warming up in class at the dance studio when a shooting broke out outside a nearby barbershop. The girl's mother was parking her car when the shooting happened. 

Once she realized what was going on, she ran to the venue and saw a bullet hole in the glass. She started beating on the door until it opened. Then, she was told that her child was hit in the eye.

Seconds later, police arrived on scene.

It was later decided that she needed to be flown to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for treatment. But due to the weather, they couldn’t fly her. She was then transported by ambulance, arriving at the hospital Wednesday night.

Surveillance video from a nearby business showed the exact moments of the shooting. Reports said that an argument took place between a group of people causing a shootout to take place. The shooting appears to have taken place in the parking lot of the shopping plaza near the Piggly Wiggly.

Witnesses said they saw three black Dodge Chargers drive away from the scene after the shooting.

Two people were "detained on the scene for questioning" after the responding officer saw them on the video camera.

Although police reports stated that the officer charged the two people, authorities later clarified that the two people were released shortly after. 

An online fundraiser has been set up to help the family with the girl's medical bills.

This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.

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