Man hit by stray bullet while inside home

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Imagine sitting in your home and getting hit by a bullet. That's what happened to one local family and their little girl is terrified.

"Were you scared for him the other night," asked News 8's Erin Logan.

"Yeah," said 5-year-old Sophia Deloughery.

Sophia hasn't left her dad's side, while he's recovering from his gunshot wound to his thigh.

"I was afraid," Sophia said.

She was afraid she lost him when the whole family heard shots fired after midnight Thursday morning, outside their Edgar Street home. They all heard him scream.

"My leg said 'boom,' just 'boom,' and it started burning so I said, 'I got shot,'" said Dennis Deloughery, "and my son said, 'no you didn't.'"

He was laying on the couch, where his daughter usually sits with him.

"She got so scared she started throwing up," he said.

The Deloughery's thought for sure that the bullet went through the window or the air conditioner, but after police did some walking around, it turns out the bullet entered the home through the wall, and through the couch.

"I never thought I'd get shot," Dennis said. "Especially in my own home, on the second floor too."

His wife says once she realized he was shot, she looked out the window and just saw a bunch of people looking out their doors.

Witnesses tell police about eight shots were fired, also damaging three parked cars. The suspect took off and ran towards Spring Street.

The family is asking for the public's help tracking down the shooter.

"I definitely want them to speak out because it could be them," said Michele Deloughery, victim's wife. "It could be their family, their child, their husband.

Michele continued on to say, "when you're in your home, you're supposed to be safe."