An 11-year-old girl is in critical condition after being shot in the head by a stranger while riding in her father's car.

The shooting happened on Monday afternoon as the family was leaving the Delta View Apartments on Delta Fair Boulevard in Antioch, northeast of San Francisco, according to police. 

Investigators say a gunman, identified by police as Ryan Hardy, opened fire on innocent bystanders without warning, sending a bullet through the car's rear windshield and into the child's head.

As doctors fight to save her life at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, the girl's father said her first words afterwards are unbearable to relive.

'She says, 'Dad, why can't I see?' he said in Spanish. 'It hurts me so much. Those are words I don't think any dad could handle.'

According to the Antioch Police Department, the shooting occurred around 12:40pm in the parking lot of the apartment complex. 

The girl was sitting in the front passenger seat as her father drove to the store when, without warning, the gunfire rang out.

Investigators say a bullet tore through the back windshield, pierced the headrest, and struck the girl in the back of the head. 

Police are seen gathering evidence after an 11-year-old girl was shot in the head at an Antioch, California apartment complex

The wounded child was rushed to a nearby shopping center parking lot, where officers rendered emergency aid before she was transported to the hospital with assistance from the Contra Costa County Fire Department.

The girl's father, who has not been publicly identified due to safety concerns, said the shooting has left him numb with grief and fear.

'My family is everything to me,' he said. 'I feel like my heart is being ripped out.'

Relatives say the child can hear loved ones speaking to her and can respond by moving parts of her body, but she has lost all of her vision. 

Her aunt Anahi Ramirez described the pain of watching her niece struggle in intensive care.

'I'm still in shock. I can't believe everything that's happened. It's very difficult,' she said.

Ramirez said she has been lighting religious candles at home and praying for a miracle.

'It's tough because I'm her Godmother, her aunt,' she said. 'I'm the sister of her dad. We've always been united. It's very hard to see her like that.'

Police have identified the suspect as Ryan Hardy, 23, and say he should be considered armed and dangerous

Police have identified the suspect as Ryan Hardy, 23, and say he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Authorities said Hardy was identified through a combination of surveillance video, witness statements, and forensic evidence. 

Investigators are urging the public not to approach him and to call 911 immediately with any information about his whereabouts.