9-year-old girl shot in unrelated vehicle during robbery dies

HOUSTON - We have a tragic update to a story we've been following all day. 

The Houston Police Department is reporting that a 9-year-old girl who was struck by gunfire, while in the backseat of a vehicle, has died. 

Family members identified the girl as Arlene Lynette Alvarez, who was taken to the hospital, where she later died.

Arlene Lynette Alvarez

The man who was robbed at a Houston ATM shot at a pickup truck he thought the suspect was fleeing in, but he was actually shot at an innocent family’s vehicle, and struck 9-year-old girl, police said.

Tony Earls was taken into custody and is charged with aggravated assault - serious bodily injury.

SIGN UP FOR FOX 26 HOUSTON EMAIL ALERTS

The incident began around 9:43 p.m. Monday at a drive-thru bank ATM in Gulfgate near the intersection of Woodridge and Winkler.

Police say Earls, 41, was at the ATM with his wife when someone walked up and robbed him.

Tony Earls, 41, is charged with aggravated assault - serious bodily injury after allegedly shooting at a pickup truck he thought was involved in his robbery. An innocent family was in the car and a 9-year-old girl was shot.

According to police, Earls first shot at the robbery suspect, who was fleeing on foot. Police say he then shot at a pickup truck he thought the robbery suspect had gotten into.

A family of five, who were not involved in the robbery, were in the pickup truck, and a 9-year-old girl in the backseat was shot, police say.

FOR THE LATEST NEWS UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE FOX 26 NEWS APP

The robbery suspect remains at large.

Anyone with information in the shooting or the robbery is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers.