The city of Binghamton is offering a reward as police try to locate the person who fatally shot 12-year-old Aliza Spencer.

The sixth grade student at East Middle School died shortly after she was wounded in the chest while walking with her family on Bigelow Street.

Mayor Jared Kraham on Friday afternoon announced a $10,000 reward has been posted for information that leads to the arrest of the killer.

Authorities say police were called to the area of Bigelow and Chamberlain streets at 10:09 p.m. Thursday to investigate a report of shots fired.

When officers arrived, they found a girl who had sustained a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Officers performed CPR on Aliza until medics arrived. She was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead a short time later.

Police said the girl was walking in the neighborhood with her family when she was shot.

Mayor Jared Kraham and police chief Joseph Zikuski discussing the killing of Aliza Spencer. Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News
Mayor Jared Kraham and police chief Joseph Zikuski at a Binghamton City Hall news conference to discuss the killing of Aliza Spencer. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
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Kraham said "despite at least one report stating the incident was an apparent drive-by shooting, police do not believe that to be the case at this time."

Police chief Joseph Zikuski declined to say whether the suspect may have been walking or riding a bicycle. While investigators have canvassed the neighborhood to obtain video from nearby homes, he would not say whether they have obtained images showing the shooting as it occurred.

People with information about the shooting may contact the Binghamton police detective division at (607) 772-7080.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com.

For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

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