At least three people were injured in a shooting near a preparatory school in Washington on Friday, with police still searching the area for suspects.
Two of the victims, a man and a woman found near Edmund Burke School, a private preparatory academy, were hospitalized in critical but stable condition, and a minor received a minor gunshot wound, according to Assistant Chief of Police Stuart Emerman.
He said police were scattered around the neighborhood looking for possible perpetrators, but there was no immediate description of the suspect. Emerman said several people seen fleeing the scene had been briefly detained for questioning, but no one was believed to be involved.
“At the moment, I don’t believe we have any suspects detained,” Emerman said.
“We are looking for all suspects or suspects. We have no motive at the moment, “Emerman told reporters. “We do not know the full details of what happened. But we continue to ask the public to simply move away from the area as we continue to investigate. “
Dozens of law enforcement officers responded to the scene, near Connecticut Avenue and Van Ness Street in the Van Ness neighborhood. The incident is just down the road from Howard University School of Law.
An eyewitness told local television station WUSA-TV that he heard a rapid-fire shooting that lasted about a minute and saw a woman running out of a building that appeared to have been hit by a gunshot, followed by other people who were apparently injured.
The eyewitness said he saw other people on the street hiding behind parked cars and pointing up to a balcony, where they probably believe the shots originated.
A video posted on Twitter captured the sound of quick shots. A witness identified by a local reporter as Austin Beatle said he was at a nearby cafe when he heard more than 20 shots fired in quick succession before he saw police rushing to the scene.
News footage on local television shows that Connecticut Avenue is blocked by emergency vehicles. Dozens of police cars with flashing lights were parked in front of the school building, while police officers in full tactical gear and some in camouflage gathered nearby.
“It was crazy. I mean, it’s just amazing, “Jade Moore, a parent of Edmund Burke, told the WJLA about the incident, which she said left her daughter huddled in a classroom while police escorted her and other students to more. a safe part of campus. “You know, you think they’re safe, but you’re not safe anywhere.”
The luxury neighborhood is also home to several foreign embassies and the Van Ness campus of the University of Columbia, which said on Twitter that it was under guard.
Local media reported that the second well-known preparatory school, Sidwell Friends School, was blocked.
The District of Columbia University has come under blockade, telling students and staff to take shelter on the spot.
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