2 Lansing high school students shot while walking home from school
LANSING, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Members of the Westside Neighborhood community are asking for answers after two high school students were shot in broad daylight near Riddle Elementary School on Tuesday.
Around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Lansing police responded to calls of shots fired and found two 16-year-olds with gunshot wounds outside.
"Having this happen in our neighborhood is surprising, and we hate to see it," said Heath Lowry, who lives in the neighborhood and serves as president of the Westside Neighborhood Association.
Lansing police said Thursday that one teen is in critical condition and another is stable, but they have no one in custody. Lowry said reactions to another shooting in this neighborhood have some neighbors worried about safety.
"We also have many neighbors who are fired up about preventing this sort of thing and want to take action because we can't keep seeing this pattern of mostly youth-related violence happening in our neighborhood," said Lowry.
Safety isn't the only concern being raised after this incident.
Marcia Medina, who lives in the neighborhood and whose kids attend schools in the Lansing School District, said she feels the notification from the school district was incredibly vague.
"It said that the students were seriously injured. It didn't mention that it was gun violence. It didn't mention that it happened on the grounds, or at the very least, very near Riddle Elementary," Medina said.
In a letter sent to Lansing School District parents, Superintendent Ben Shuldiner wrote, "It is with heavy hearts that we inform you about an upsetting incident involving two of our Sexton High School students. Yesterday, as they were walking home from school, they were seriously injured."
"You know, this wasn't a fistfight. Somebody didn't fall down a well," said Medina.
Both Lowry and Medina say they don't necessarily want to see a heightened police presence in the neighborhood but a closer and more connected community.
"We all feel a responsibility; we have two schools in our neighborhood, and we want to make sure that those stay good places for children to be," said Lowry.
