Mother of 6-year-old shot in East Germantown speaks out

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) "I don't know how many people out here got kids but it hurt me real bad to be seeing him in that much pain and it's nothing I can do to fix it or take it away."

LaPrea Brown stood before her East Germantown neighborhood grief stricken and heartbroken. She had just left her 6-year-old son Mahaj who is still in the hospital after being shot last week.

"I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. It's a pain that no parent should have to bear. He's only 6 years old and he's fighting. He's fighting," cried Brown.

10 bullets pierced Mahaj's tiny body when police say gunmen opened fire near Ashmeade and Clarkson street. He was one of several people shot.

Mahaj was in a car with a relative when it happened. This little boy has had seven surgeries in the five days he's been at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.

"But the fight is not over yet. It's not over yet. He still has a long way to go. He still has to do therapy. Physical and mental. My son is 6 years old and on psychiatric medicine because he was fully awake when all of this happened," said Brown who says by the grace of God her son is talking from his hospital bed but she says one of the toughest things is explaining to a 6-year old why he's strapped to a hospital bed and in and out of surgery.

"I say that's the doctor's way of giving you all your super powers back, you lost the super powers when the people shot you so you get your super powers back through the IV and stuff," she said.

Those who gathered to hear her speak at the rally organized by Philadelphia Ceasefire were moved to tears about Mahaj and his mother's plea to end gun violence.

"He's so strong and he showed me that there is a God and that with prayer anything is possible. I just pray for the people that did it I just pray that you have some mercy that you can come forward turn yourself in," said Brown.