5-year-old Kadish and four others were wounded in last week's shooting  GET WELL WISHES: Get-well wishes may be sent to Benjamin Kadish via e-mail 00000000at www.ChildrensHospitalLA.org

August 17, 1999
Web posted at: 8:25 PM EDT (0025 GMT)

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Five-year-old Benjamin Kadish, the most seriously injured victim in last week's shooting rampage at a Los Angeles area Jewish community center, was upgraded from serious to fair condition Tuesday.

Kadish is expected to remain in Children's Hospital for at least four more days. Doctors said they are optimistic for a full recovery. Kadish was shot in the abdomen and left thigh.

His parents, Charles and Eleanor, issued a statement, expressing their "appreciation to all the kind and loving people, many of whom are total strangers, that have sent warm wishes, prayers, thoughts and gifts of kindness to Ben and the family."

The parents thanked police, the fire department, paramedics, hospital staff and others "for their tenacious determination to save our son."

"This heinous act of violence, born of hate, has gone full-circle to become a birth of compassion and tolerance. No child or family of any religion or ethnicity should ever have to experience the trauma that we have. The outpouring of love is beyond words. We can never thank all of you appropriately. The generosity and kindness of strangers of every background is overwhelming," the Kadishes said.

Suspected gunman Buford Furrow is charged with five counts of attempted murder for the shootings at the North Valley Jewish Community Center. He also faces federal and state charges for allegedly killing a Filipino-American letter carrier about an hour later.

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