GREENBELT, Md. (DC News Now) — Five “young men” were injured in a shooting that happened in Greenbelt Friday afternoon, police said.
The Prince George’s County Fire Department said three people had serious injuries and two people were hurt critically after the shooting which took place in Schrom Hills Park, off Hanover Parkway at around 3 p.m.
During an update by officials, Greenbelt Mayor Emmett V. Jordan said a crowd of students was in the park on a “senior skip day” for high school students.
Greenbelt Police Chief Richard Bowers said there were approximately 500 to 600 students there when around 20 officers first arrived. As they were trying to control the crowd, police heard around eight to 10 gunshots. When they went to the area from which the gunshots came, they found the five people who had been hit near the pavilion area.
The crowd of hundreds began running, and Greenbelt police believe the person or people who opened fire left the park and the area in the midst of the commotion.
Police said one person was still in critical condition while the four others were stable. Their ages range from 16 to 18 years old.
“It’s maddening, honestly and there’s not enough words to say for the condolences to the individuals that were there, to their classmates, the school, to our community,” Bowers said. “This isn’t just going to be something that affects a small group of people. This affects not only the city of Greenbelt, but our entire county, our entire state.”
Police initially didn’t know about Friday’s senior skip day, which also happened last year with no issues. Greenbelt City Manager, Josué Salmerón, said they’ll be more vigilant in the future.
“Moving forward, we’re going to be diligent about these on scheduled activities that are happening in our community. We’re going to play a greater role in tracking and reporting these incidents,” Salmerón said.
Bowers said he hopes students will come forward with any information they may have about the shooting.
“We know that the person involved is definitely on a camera somewhere,” Bowers said. “Like I said, there was about 20 police officers. So we have a lot of body worn camera footage.”
Neighbors who live near the park said the shooting is distressing.
“I was just sitting in the house and heard a lot of shots and then I heard a lot of sirens,” Mike Kabia, who lives across the street, said. “It’s sad, I had to come out here and just start praying.”
He believes there needs to be more things to do to keep kids safe and occupied.
“Senior skip day, they come out here and this is the result and it’s sad,” he said. “We got to get back to a village of people that it takes to raise kids. We got to get back to the programs for the youth. The youth have nothing to do and it’s sad.”
“You just don’t know anymore, what brings it on. That’s the scary part,” said Michael McCallum about the latest round of gun violence.
He said parents need to have some serious conversations with their teens.
“Maybe better parental guidance with your children to teach them just to stay away from [the guns.] Look what’s going on as the time goes on with the children. Your friends in school are getting killed and you’re going to more and more funerals with you friends. You want to stop this,” he explained.
