PITTSBURGH -- Police are still looking for suspects in the shooting death of a young girl on the North Side Monday night.

Jolesa Barber was killed when someone shot up to 40 rounds from an AK-47 assault-style rifle through the front door of a family member's home on Brightridge Street just after 7 p.m., police said. (See Map)

Barber's mother was also there and was struck in the leg by a bullet, police said. She was last reported in critical condition at Allegheny General Hospital.

Police said they recovered an assault-style rifle, along with a discarded 9 mm handgun, in a weeded area in the 800 block of Brightridge Street.

Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper believes Jolesa's 22-year-old sister, who lived at the home, was the intended victim.

"The 22-year-old woman lived there, so it seems she was the target of the shots being fired," said Harper.

Police also said it was the most recent of several shootings on the street in recent weeks and believe it is connected to the others.

As a result, Harper said the shooters have left themselves exposed to police and eyewitnesses.

"That's correct," said Harper. "We believe they're connected, and it's just a matter of connecting the dots."

No arrests have been made at this time, but police said that could soon change.

"Right now, we don't know how many shooters we have. Information we have is that it may be an ongoing feud with people on the street."

Jolesa was described as an exceptional sixth-grader at Arthur J. Rooney Middle School. She was also a cheerleader and a member of the school's basketball team.

Principal Merridith Murray said the entire school district is broken over her death.

"Just to know that a 12-year-old is lost is pretty hard for us to take right now," said Murray.

"It's very upsetting, a numbing feeling that a 12-year-old lost her life," said basketball coach Caterlina Molinaro.

Public Safety Director Michael Huss, Harper and representatives of community groups met at Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's office on Tuesday afternoon to discuss violence in the neighborhood, including the use of assault-style weapons like the one involved in Barber's death.

Community groups and city leaders are trying to secure a plan to stop the violence.

The plan is based on two things, including trying to get weapons off the street and as one activist said, getting heads out of the sand and addressing what's going on.

Officials said Tuesday's meeting was planned in advance with religious groups and concerned citizens from the city's North Side.

Some of the participants said Congress has to reinstitute the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004.

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