Victoria Holley was still shaken yesterday by the West Baltimore shooting Friday night that wounded five people, including her husband, nephew and 12-year-old daughter.

She was also grateful because she knew that her family had been lucky. A gunman fired six or seven shots from close range and struck five victims, including three young girls. None suffered life-threatening wounds, and all were released from the hospital by yesterday morning.

"I'm feeling blessed because it could have been worse than what it was," said Holley, 34, as she sat on her front steps in the 1600 block of N. Gilmor St. with her family yesterday afternoon. "[The gunman] didn't care who got hit."

Police said they are seeking a suspect in the shooting, which took place at North Gilmor and Baker streets. They declined to release his name.

Police believe the gunman may have been firing pellets, not bullets, either from a pellet gun or a shotgun, said police spokeswoman Nicole Monroe.

Doctors found a pellet in the leg of the youngest victim, Cadeja Carter, 7, of the 1700 block of Mount St., Monroe said. Police have been unable to recover other bullets, pellets or casings from the scene.

The shooting was one of several in the city in recent weeks that have involved young victims. On Monday, 10-year-old Tevin Montrel Davis was shot in the neck as he sat on the front steps of his rowhouse.

He was released yesterday from Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

Monroe said police are still unsure of what started Friday's shooting. They say that Holley's nephew Tony Watson, 22, also of the 1600 block of N. Gilmor St., was arguing with a woman at about 8:30 p.m. when a man approached and started firing, aiming at Watson. Watson was wounded under his arm and in the wrist.

Also injured were Gernay Holley, Victoria's husband, who was grazed in the ear; Victoria's daughter Latoria Bowman, 12, who was grazed in the back; and Tanasha Warren, 8, of the 2500 block of Linden Ave. suffered a graze wound to the chest.

Gernay Holley, 34, said yesterday that he had gone outside to investigate the argument involving his nephew and was telling his children to get back inside when the shooting started.

Gernay Holley said the shooting showed it was unsafe for his kids to be playing out on the sidewalk. Victoria Holley said the shooting wouldn't make her keep her children inside.

"What am I supposed to do?" she said. "I can't leave them locked in the house all the time."