A 1-year-old girl was shot in the head and left clinging to life as she sat in a car with her parents in what suburban Seattle police initially described as an apparent case of road rage . The baby was in 'very critical condition ' Friday , a day after the shooting , said Susan Gregg , a spokeswoman for Harborview Medical Center in Seattle . Baby Malaja was in a car seat in the back of a silver Chevrolet Impala and her parents were in the front seat when a black car pulled alongside around at 4.30pm Thursday , Kent police spokeswoman Melanie Robinson said . Scroll down for video . Innocent victim : One-year-old Malaja ( left and right ) was shot in the head as she sat in a car with her parents in suburban Seattle Thursday afternoon . She remains in critical condition . Target : Police say a black car pulled alongside this silver Chevrolet Impala carrying Malaja and the driver and passenger opened fire , striking the 1-year-old in the head . On the road : The shooting took place at an intersection near an apartment complex in Kent , Washington . Robinson said the driver and passenger of the black car opened fire , then drove off , but police did not give details on the possible conflict between the people in both vehicles . The shooting took place at an intersection near the Lake Fenwick Estates apartment complex in Kent . Detectives in Kent initially suggested road rage as a motive , but Cmdr . Jarod Kasner told The Seattle Times Friday that police no longer think that 's the case after further investigation . Police did n't provide further details on what they believe led to the shooting . Police said the shooting was preceded by some sort of an exchange between the occupants of the black sedan and the silver Chevy . Linda Johnston , who lives nearby , ran outside after she heard gunshots . ' I was sitting in my bedroom here and heard the shots . `` Bam , bam , bam , bam , bam , '' ' she told Seattle television station KOMO . 'The baby was on the ground , and other people were doing CPR on the baby , and the mother was in hysterics and the dad was in hysterics , too . ' Heart-wrenching : Malaja 's relatives , including her aunt ( right ) , were heard sobbing and screaming , including one enraged woman ( left ) who cried out : ' I want revenge ! ' Poignant message : The girl 's uncle , Edmond McNeil ( pictured ) , called for end of violence in Seattle . On Thursday evening , Malaja 's heartbroken family said the toddler was brain dead . The girl 's uncle , Edmond McNeil , came up to a KIRO7 reporter outside the hospital and delivered a powerful message on crime in the city . 'We need to stop the Seattle violence , ' he said into the camera , appearing shell-shocked . 'We 're trying to be living for our kids . Everybody needs to live for your kids ... You ai n't no gangster because you want to carry a gun . That 's stupid . ' Malaja 's relatives were heard sobbing and screaming , including one enraged woman who cried out : ' I want revenge ! '
One-year-old baby Kent was shot while riding in backseat of her parents ' car in Seattle suburb Thursday afternoon . Driver and passenger of passing car pulled up and opened fire on silver Chevy Impala carrying Kent .