Two more Baltimore high school students shot, making it seven within days

BALTIMORE — A double shooting prompted a lockdown at Benjamin Franklin High School in South Baltimore Friday afternoon.

Around 2 p.m., officers responded to the 1100 block of Cambria Street, which runs parallel to Benjamin Franklin High School, for the shooting.

Police said two students, a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy, were in an alleyway in the rear of Cambria when they were shot.  The victims were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.   

John Davis, the Chief of Schools, confirmed both students attend Benjamin Franklin High School.

WJZ spoke to a relative of a witness who said after hearing the gunshots, she opened the front door to find the two teens running from the alley on Cambria Street.

The woman, who does not want to be identified for her safety, said her niece ushered the injured into the home to shield them from the shooter and called 911 for help. 

"Thank God that she was here at that moment to let those babies in because who knows what could have happened," she explained. "Once he realized he couldn't see them, he didn't know which way they went, he just took off running."

All after-school activities were canceled Friday.

Police are interviewing witnesses and looking over footage of the shooting to identify the person who opened fire at a group of teenagers less than an hour before school dismissal.

Davis said the community is reeling from this latest shooting incident.

This week, seven high school students have been shot.

On Wednesday, five Edmondson-Westside High School students were shot, and 16-year-old Deanta Dorsey died.

"Students are not allowed to leave the campus," Davis said. "The safest place for a student to be is in the classroom in their school."

The recent gun violence toward teens in Baltimore City has police closely partnering with the school system. 

"What's going on is young people are making bad decisions," Davis said. "People are picking up guns and they're shooting our kids. At this point, we're doing everything we can. We're working with school police."

Baltimore City Schools said classes at Benjamin Franklin High School will resume Monday.