Slain Girl's Dad: Suspect Has Grudge Against Me

INDIANAPOLIS -- The father of an 8-year-old girl who was fatally shot Friday night says the man police arrested in the case has feuded with him for a year.

Christopher Hitchings said he believes that feud was the reason his daughter Karissa Hitchings was killed. Police arrested Emmanuel McClendon Jr., 26, on Saturday morning in connection with the killing.

"With no kind of conscience, he just did it," Christopher Hitchings told 6News' Jack Rinehart on Monday.

Police said someone fired at least 10 rounds into a house at 2317 White Ave. shortly before 10 p.m. Friday. Karissa Hitchings was struck in the head and was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The girl's mother, father and 6-year-old sister also were in the home, but those three were not injured.

"He aimed to assassinate a whole family," said Karissa Hitchings' mother, Laura Hitchings.

Christopher Hitchings said he has known McClendon for a long time and that false information caused McClendon to begin holding a grudge against him about a year ago.

A court on Monday granted the Marion County prosecutor three more days to file charges against McClendon, who was being held without opportunity for bail on a preliminary charge of murder.

Karissa Hitchings was a second-grader at School 44. On Monday, the school's principal, Doris Thompson, visited the girl's home to drop off teddy bears.

Grief counselors were at the school on Monday. Thompson said Karissa Hitchings' classmates have struggled with her death.

"People are stooping to an all new low when they are taking the lives of children. It just hurts us really bad, and I'm sure everyone's affected by this," Thompson said.