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Tottenville, Staten Island (WABC) — Police have released video footage of five people wanted for questioning in connection with a shooting outside Tottenville High School.
The incident happened at 100 Luton Ave around 2pm on Tuesday
A 14-year-old boy was shot in the ankle as he waited outside the school for sports practice after class, authorities said. An NYPD school security agent acted quickly and treated the freshman’s wound until an ambulance arrived.
The victim was taken to Staten Island University Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and is expected to recover.
Flashing lights and officers greeted Tottenville High School students and parents Wednesday morning.
“I’m glad they’re taking precautions now. So I definitely feel safer,” said student Gianna Badamo.
The police believe that the young athlete who was shot yesterday was not the target of the accused. They say the man the accused tried to shoot may have jumped under the car.
“I was walking down the hallway with my friends … and we pulled into a random classroom,” said student Sofia Debelles of her terrifying experience yesterday afternoon.
Panicked students and staff fled after hearing seven rounds of gunfire near the school. “Are we okay? Are they getting into school? What’s going to happen?” Debella said she has many questions because of the shooting on their school campus.
“It’s definitely every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Mona Davids of the NYC School Safety Coalition. “Parents send their children to school. We expect our children to return from school safely.”
The school initially conducted a shelter-in-place but later moved forward with a controlled evacuation.
One of the bullets fired by the accused actually hit an MTA bus, but fortunately no one inside the bus was injured.
The Department of Education said the incident did not occur on school property, but is working with the NYPD on the investigation.
“Student safety is our top priority, and our students deserve to feel safe in their communities at all times,” the DOE said in a statement. “New York City Public Schools has strong mental-health support for students in need through school-based social workers, guidance counselors, and on-site mental health clinics.”
Multiple shell casings were recovered from the street, but the circumstances surrounding the shooting are not yet known.
“One thing’s for sure: Crime of all kinds is out of control, and it’s not just ‘perception,'” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. “Whether people are stabbed, robbed, pushed in front of a train or shot, our city has become the ‘Wild Wild West,’ with one in 88 New Yorkers being the victim of a major crime.”
With a tsunami of shootings, stabbings and guns making headlines, families who thought they were safe on Staten Island now fear there is no safe harbor in this lawless storm.
“The city is getting worse, and now it feels like we’re getting into a safer part of the city,” said Andy Cintron, a Staten Island resident.
Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon released the following statement:
“We are aware of the incident that occurred outside Tottenville High School this afternoon. Our prayers are with the injured victim at this time and we hope they make a speedy and full recovery. We are working closely with the NYPD and the Department of Education and Tottenville High School staff to continue to investigate this incident. Our schools are safe for everyone in our community, especially our students. Needless to say, we share the outrage of parents and all Staten Islanders. It is right to feel that this basic obligation is not being met. It is long past time for policymakers and decision makers to remove their rose-colored glasses and face reality in our schools — this is a crisis, and we must act now.”
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