Two teenagers were shot Tuesday near a high school in Newark, N.J.
The shooting occurred near West Side High School on S Orange Avenue around dismissal time at 2:46 p.m. Both victims were rushed to University Hospital for treatment.
One of the teens, a 17-year-old boy, was listed in critical condition, while the other, a 15-year-old, was described as stable, according to ABC 7.
Officials said the 17-year-old victim is a student at the school.
“A third victim suffered a non-shooting-related injury sustained while running away from the scene,” Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé.
“The Newark Police Division will work tirelessly until each suspect in this horrific incident is apprehended,” Fragé said in a statement. “Senseless violence on our streets, especially within blocks of a school, will not be tolerated.”
No other information about the victims or the incident, including possible suspects or motive, was released.
“The NPD has launched an investigation and we are cooperating with law enforcement authorities. Our primary concern remains the safety and well-being of our students and staff,” the Newark Board of Education said in a statement.
Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said additional police would be patrolling the area going forward.
“Everyone deserves to be safe in and around their school,” Baraka said. “We have zero tolerance for this behavior and will work hard to see that it does not happen.”
Last November, a student at Newark’s Central High School was wounded in a drive-by shooting that occurred during a possible gas leak evacuation.
