"I thought I was going to die" Teen injured in shooting at Fort Lauderdale apartment complex
FORT LAUDERDALE - A teen who was wounded, along with four others, when gunfire erupted at a Fort Lauderdale apartment complex is speaking out.
The shooting happened July 5th around 8:40 p.m. in the courtyard area behind the Broward Garden apartments at NW 19th Street and NW 29th Avenue. According to police, a group of people were gathered in the courtyard when they were confronted by a second group of people, and shots were fired.
The teen, who spoke to CBS News Miami, said he was just playing with a group of friends when he got caught in the crossfire
"We were playing football and they were popping fireworks, and then people came through the alley and started shooting," he said.
He said it all happened so quickly and he was hit in the leg.
"I thought I was going to die," he said.
The teen's brother was also grazed by a bullet. He said he has no idea why the shooting happened.
"People are so ready to shoot every time there's an argument come up, they already be ready to bring guns out," he said.
He said he's doing okay and hopes to get back to playing sports.
Child psychologist Dr. Natasha Poulopoulous said this kind of exposure to violence can have long-term effects.
"If you think about it, our body has alarm and threat systems. When young kids learn at a young age that they feel unsafe because of community violence, it's harder for them to pay attention at school, they're often times more on edge," she said.
In her Miami practice, she said she's seen a number of young survivors of shootings.
"And the unfortunate thing is that what they say is the intended target, they just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said.
Poulopoulos said community violence and trauma are part of a much bigger public health crisis.
"My fear is that it'll worsen because guns are a public health crisis and we need public health intervention, both at the state and federal level," she said.