A 13-year-old boy has been hospitalised after being shot in the head outside a strip mall in Queens, New York, on Monday morning. The shooting happened just after 8 a.m. in Cambria Heights, according to the NYPD.
The boy was in the parking lot of a Dunkin’ Donuts shop located on Linden Boulevard and Springfield when he was shot. According to reports, the area is a familiar gathering spot for students from Andrew Jackson High School, who often linger there before and after classes.
However, on September 22, the area became a crime scene after residents heard an explosion. The teenage boy was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was quickly taken to Northwell-Cohen Children’s Medical Centre, where he remains in critical condition.
However, police were unable to say whether the victim was lingering in the area or was on his way to school when the incident happened. There are multiple schools a few blocks away from the scene, and it is currently unclear which one the teen attended.
The scene quickly turned into a hub of police activity, with the area in front of the Dunkin’, wedged between a pharmacy and a U-Haul business, taped off as investigators worked.
Ronald Blain spoke to the local media as a witness at the scene, recalling that he heard the gunfire and children running. “I heard a pop, at about 8-something in the morning, and then I looked and I saw all the kids. I see some kids running down the block,” he said.
A long-time resident named Xavier Ezell also expressed concern about the violence in the area. “I’ve been living in this neighbourhood, this community, for 20 years, and the fact that my son is not safe walking to school or my children overall are not safe walking to school is a problem,” he said.
Police have not confirmed whether the teenager was the intended target, and so far, no arrests have been made. According to the New York Post, police disclosed that the suspected shooter was wearing a white hoodie and white sneakers and had a black backpack in his possession. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.