Woodland Hills School District increases security presence following shooting in Swissvale
CHURCHILL, Pa. (KDKA) -- There was increased security on Monday in the Woodland Hills School District after a teenager was shot in Swissvale over the weekend.
On Monday, students and parents saw added security at the high school and middle school campuses upon arrival and during school hours. The district said the added security was out of an abundance of caution in the wake of the recent gun violence.
Lee Davis, director of Violence Protection for Greater Valley Community Services, said within minutes of Sunday night's shooting in Swissvale, his team has been working closely with authorities and the school district.
"We just want the community to know that keep the faith keep, hope because we have people out here fighting every day to make sure that our kids are safe and our communities are safe," Davis said.
The shooting happened shortly after 6 p.m. on Sunday along Woodstock Avenue near Roslyn Street. Allegheny County police say the teen boy was shot in the back and rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
In a letter to parents and families, Woodland Hills Superintendent Dr. Daniel Castagna said in part:
"While thankfully neither of these lead to fatalities, we are upset and alarmed by these community disruptions. Our administrative team works very closely with several community anti-violence groups to constantly share information inside and outside of school. These relationships and communications keep students in school safe. In an abundance of caution, security at arrival, and during the day will be increased at both high school and middle school."
It's unclear if the teen is a student at either of the schools. KDKA-TV reached out to the superintendent for more information but never heard back.
Meanwhile, Davis credits the district for reacting quickly to the shooting and doing its part to keep students safe during the day.
"Our job now is to prevent a retaliation and to also work with the school to make sure that those who are affected get the proper resources and the things they need to move on properly," Davis said.
Allegheny County police are investigating the shooting. As of Monday afternoon, they said investigators believe there were multiple shooters. Anyone with information about this shooting is urged to call the county police tip line.
