Three teenagers were shot Monday afternoon near Lawrence High School in Massachusetts as students were leaving school, prompting a large police response and a search for the person responsible.
The shooting was reported shortly after 3 p.m. around Exeter Street and E. Dalton Street, near the Lawrence Housing Authority and South Lawrence East Elementary School. The incident happened as schools in the area were dismissing students, adding to the confusion as families and children made their way home.
The three victims were taken to Lawrence General Hospital for treatment. Police Chief Maurice Aguiler later said two of the teenagers suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, while the third had more serious injuries. Aguiler said he believed all three victims would survive.
The shooting did not happen on Lawrence High School property. According to police, a school resource officer heard gunfire coming from the area of a Lawrence Housing Authority property and reported it before multiple 911 calls came in.
People in the neighborhood described a chaotic scene immediately after the gunfire. Christian Lantigua, who lives nearby, said he initially thought the sound was fireworks before realizing that people were running from the area.
Police officers found evidence markers spread across the street as investigators worked to determine what led to the shooting. Witnesses told reporters that a fight may have occurred before the gunfire, although investigators have not publicly established what triggered the confrontation.
Lawrence police said the shooting does not appear to have been a random act of violence. Investigators are looking for one suspect, but police have not released a description or identified anyone in connection with the shooting.
Massachusetts State Police and the FBI are assisting Lawrence investigators with the case. No arrests had been announced as of the latest available update.
The investigation remains active as detectives work to establish what happened before the shooting and identify the person responsible.
