Shooting of 13-year-old in may have come after attempted car theft

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 13-year-old girl was shot in the South Chicago neighborhood Tuesday morning.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting, but the family of the woman who allegedly pulled the trigger said the shooting was connected to an attempted car theft involving the teen. It was the third such attempted theft the woman has dealt with.

The shooting happened a little before 8 a.m. in the 8200 block of South Commercial Avenue, according to Chicago police. The girl was hit on the right side of her body. She was taken to Comer Children's Hospital, and her condition was stabilized, police said.

"I'm just mad my sister is in this type of situation," said Michelle Tharpe. She added her sister "caught two young kids stealing her car, breaking in her car. They busted out a window."

Tharpe said her sister, a single mother, has a Firearms Owners Identification (FOID) card and that she's a security guard. She said her sister acted in self-defense when she fired her gun and grazed the 13-year-old girl. She was one of two teens who tried to steal the Kia SUV, Tharpe said.

"They need to be in school," Tharpe said. "They should have been in school."

Police took the car in question, Tharpe said, adding it was the third time her sister has dealt with people trying to break into her car.

"She's a scared mom whose car constantly getting broke in," Tharpe said.

CBS 2 has reported for years on the increasing thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles across Chicago , where the car thefts have outpaced every major city in the country. They're among the millions of cars on the road that are missing an anti-theft device. They don't have an engine immobilizer, making certain models easier to steal.

When asked about the claim of an attempted theft leading to the shooting, a Chicago police spokesperson said they were still investigating.

Area detectives were questioning a person of interest in connection with the shooting.