Girl Shot After Being Mistaken For A Skunk

A nine-year-old girl dressed in a Halloween costume has been accidentally shot by a relative who thought she was a skunk.

The child, who was wearing a black costume and a black hat with a white tassel, was shot outside a house in New Sewickley Township, western Pennsylvania, where a Halloween party was taking place.

Police said the girl was "over a hillside" when a male relative mistook her for a skunk and fired at her with a shotgun, hitting her in the shoulder.

The girl was said to be "alert and talking" when she was flown to a hospital in Pittsburgh, 30 miles away, where she underwent surgery. Her condition is not known.

Authorities said no arrests have been made and the case remains under investigation.