Shots fired into Medford home leave 8-year-old boy grazed in his side, Suffolk police say

An 8-year-old boy was shot in Medford early Wednesday morning and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to detectives from the Suffolk County Police Department's Sixth Squad.

Several gunshots were fired from the street into a home on Cedar Lane, between West and Barbara lanes, around 1:35 a.m., police said

One of the bullets grazed the boy on his side, authorities said. The boy, who was not identified, was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Authorities have not identified who fired the shots, and the investigation is continuing.

Rokxana Maldonado said she was downstairs in the home when she heard at least three gunshots and ran into the living room, where her younger brother and an 11-year-old cousin had fallen asleep playing video games.

She found her brother, who had been asleep at the time of the shooting, holding his side and screaming in pain. 

Maldonado said she urged the children to keep their heads down while she woke up her mother and called 911.

"After I called, I just broke down crying," she said. "He could have died. He was bleeding. It was scary but thankfully he's OK."

Maldonado said she had no idea why someone would fire gunshots into her home but she believed the incident was intentional.

"It was unexpected," she said. "It was scary."

Detectives are asking anyone with information about the shooting to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.

With James Carbone

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.