A 17-year-old girl was shot in the chest after she chased her carjacker and opened the passenger door.
A 17-year-old California girl was shot point-blank in the upper chest after she chased her carjacker and tried to get inside the vehicle.
The girl, who was not identified because she is a juvenile, had parked her car near a San Jose mall and accidentally left her keys in the ignition, the San Jose Mercury News reported Tuesday.
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As she was talking to friends, a man got into her vehicle and drove off, police said.
The girl reacted by having a friend tail the stolen car. At a red light, the teen jumped out of her friend's vehicle and confronted the carjacker on the street, authorities said.
When she opened the passenger door, the driver shot her just beneath the collar bone, then drove off. He later abandoned the car, police said.
The victim was treated and released and is now recovering, authorities said.
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"The victim was very lucky in this particular situation, because it could have been fatal," said San Jose Police spokesman Sgt. Enrique Garcia, according to the paper. "You have to remember it's a property crime and safety comes first."
The shooter is still at large, police said.
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