'Our whole lives are upside down': Family describes terrifying Centrepointe shooting that critically injured family dog

A family pet is in emergency care after being shot by a stray bullet one week ago.

During the terrifying moments unfolding during a Centrepointe neighbourhood shooting, stray bullets went flying into the homes of innocent bystanders.

One of those bullets narrowly missed a baby, but struck a family pet.

It happened around 6 a.m. on Nov. 23 on Draffin Court, off of Hemmingwood Way.

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A 28-year-old man outside the home was killed in the gunfire, but there have been no arrests.

Tragically, one of the stray bullets flew through the wall of an innocent bystander’s bedroom and hit the neck of a beloved family dog, Milo, who is now fighting for his life.

"He came to me and just immediately started throwing up blood and that’s when I noticed he had been shot straight through the neck," said Andrea Scott, Milo's owner.

Acting quickly, Scott was in survival mode and rushed to make sure her newborn and 12 year-old daughter were safe from the stray bullets.

"I brought the kids into the back room as shots were still going off," she said.

No one else in her home was injured. After she made sure the kids were safe, she rushed to get Milo to emergency vet care, where he’s been fighting for his life since.

"As a whole, our lives are upside down," she said. "My daughter will not come back into this house, rightfully so. Where we are going to live is up in the air, the vet bills are also up in the air," she said.

Scott says she can’t afford the veterinary bills to save her dog. She is fundraising on GoFundMe for Milo’s vet bills, which are quickly tallying into the thousands of dollars.

"We are optimistic that he is going to survive, but he still needs a lot of treatment," said Scott. "The bill that’s accumulated in the last few days, it just sucks that’s the determining factor of whether he lives or dies."

Meanwhile, the police investigation is still underway for the fatal shooting. There’s been no arrest or suspect description provided by police. The victim was identified by police as 28-year-old VanDame Munga.

"Obviously it’s a very sad situation," said Scott. "My heart is bleeding for the family, who lost a loved one."

Investigators say in terms of financial compensation for innocent bystanders of crimes, victims can consult their insurance providers.

The Centrepointe neighbourhood shooting was Ottawa’s 14th homicide of 2023. Police told CTV News Ottawa that it was the ninth homicide by firearm so far this year.