Student Shot Outside Alternative Education Center
FERNDALE (WWJ/AP) - Ferndale police are searching for a gunman after a student at an alternative education school for teens was shot in the parking lot .
It happened at about 3 p.m. outside Taft Education Center, on Allen Street north of 8 Mile.
Ferndale Police Chief Tim Collins said the male student was shot in the leg during an apparent robbery after class.
"We have a description of the suspect as a younger black males. He was wearing a black hoodie sweatshirt. However, he disrobed that on the next street over; we've recovered that," said Collins.
Collins said they used a tracking dog in an attempt to follow the suspect, but were unsuccessful. The search continued Thursday evening.
"We have officers check every back yard from the school all the way to Livernois -- that's where the suspect was last seen," he said. "Anybody that looks suspicious. Anybody, particularly without a jacket in this type of weather, please give the police department a call."
The injured student's name, age and condition weren't released.
All of the schools in the district were in lockdown Thursday afternoon, and students riding home on buses were taken to Roosevelt Primary School, where parents were directed to pick them up.
This was the second gun-related incident this week at the Taft School.
On Tuesday, someone pulled a gun in the hallway during a dispute between a current a former student. Collins said the two incident don't appear to be related. No shots were fired and no one was hurt in that incident.
The district's website lists the ages of Taft students as 16 to 19.
Ferndale Public Schools released a statement on its Facebook page Thursday evening stating that schools will remain open and on schedule Friday.
"Thank you to everyone for a smooth incident response this afternoon," the statement said. "Everyone, including staff, students, parents, the Ferndale Police, and our administrative team worked very well together to keep our students calm, safe and secure this afternoon."
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