NEW YORK - A 14-year-old became yet another victim of gun violence in New York City on Tuesday after he was struck by a stray bullet outside a Staten Island school.
CBS2's Tim McNicholas talked off-camera to the victim's uncle. He says his nephew had just left school and was just trying to get a bite to eat before football practice. Now, he's asking the medical staff at Staten Island University Hospital North when he'll be able to play again.
The sound of gunshots was captured by the dash camera on a car parked near Tottenville High School.
NYPD sources say the shooter missed their intended target and instead hit a 14-year-old boy in the leg across the street from the campus. A photo shows first responders trying to help him as parents started to get gut-wrenching news from their kids.
"She texted me and she just told me that there was shots fired. She just told me not to come to the school. She just told me to stay away, stay away, don't come," one parent said.
Kids who were leaving school said about five people in ski masks jumped out of a car and someone fired the shots. Students ran for cover, some down the sidewalk and others back into the school, where everyone was told to shelter in place.
"Pictures and videos were getting spread, and I'm like, oh my god, I know this kid, like, what's happening? Like, is he OK? And he's like a really sweet kid, I'm like, how would anyone do this to him? It has to be an accident," student Sofia Shternfeld said.
"Unfortunately, I'm not surprised," said Mona Davids, with the New York City School Safety Coalition.
She is calling on Mayor Adams to beef up security in schools.
"We need him to bring back those numbers to ensure that our children are safe in the schools by the school safety agents and outside the schools by our NYPD officers," she said.
The NYPD told CBS2 late Tuesday there are no arrests and they're still investigating.
The14-year-old victim's uncle says he is hopeful he'll make a full recovery, but the entire family is understandably rattled.
Sources: Victim was not the intended target
Sources tell CBS2 that police believe the 14-year-old was not the intended target.
Witnesses: Men in ski masks emerged from car and fired several rounds
Tuesday's shooting near Tottenville High School on Staten Island happened at the worst possible time, as hundreds of students were waiting to get picked up outside after dismissal.
As CBS2's Christina Fan reported, several kids said they saw a group of men in ski masks come out of a car and fire multiple rounds. Shell casings were seen in the middle of the intersection.
One of those bullets hit a 14-year-old student in the ankle. Everyone else ran for cover, some down the sidewalk, others back into the school, where everyone was told to shelter in place.
Police said the 14-year-old was taken to Staten Island University North Hospital in stable condition. It's unclear if he was the intended target, but fellow students say he is a sweet kid and don't know by anyone would want to hurt him.
Emotional parents who came for pick-up and saw the crime scene said this is their worst nightmare.
"She texts me and she told me that there was shots fired. There was three shots fired. And she just told me not to come to the school. She told me to stay away, don't come. But, of course, I had to come. I couldn't leave," one parent said.
"I'm texting her, she's not calling me back, so that's when I started getting worried. So where I usually park, I park in right front of the school and she comes to my car, but this time was different. I got out just to see and I saw a lot of families crying behind me, mentioning there's the crime scene right in front of me," another parent said.
Detectives say the investigation is ongoing. They are searching for five suspects who were in ski masks and grey pants.
The Department of Education released the following statement:
"Tottenville High School went into a brief shelter-in-place today in response to a nearby, off-campus incident. While no part of this incident took place on school property, we are working closely with the NYPD on their investigation and will be providing additional supports and security to this school. Student safety is our top priority, and our students deserve to feel safe in their communities at all times. There is also strong mental-health support at all New York City public schools for students who need it, by way of school-based social workers, guidance counselors, and on-site mental health clinics."
Victim is 14-year-old student, is expected to survive
Sources say a 14-year-old male student from the school was shot in the leg across the street from the school building.
The student was taken to Staten Island University North hospital in stable condition.
It happened at 1:48 p.m., which police said was around dismissal time.
The school was put in shelter in place as a result. That order has since been lifted.
There's no threat to the school building.
It's not clear if the person shot was the intended target or struck by a stray bullet.
Teen shot outside school
We're hearing about a shooting outside Tottenville High School on Staten Island.
It happened around 2 p.m. on Luten Avenue.
Authorities haven't released many details, saying only that a teen has been shot.
There was no immediate word on the teen's condition, or if the teen is a student at the school.
