Five teens shot at gathering in Greenbelt park; Police searching for gunman

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — Five young men were shot Friday afternoon when gunfire broke out in a park in Greenbelt, a Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., according to police.

The victims were hospitalized, Police Chief Richard Bowers said. The victims were ages 16 to 18, Bowers said. One was in critical condition, the others were stable, the chief said.

The shooting occurred at a large gathering of youths celebrating “senior skip day” at Schrom Hills Park, Bowers said in a press conference Friday evening. Between 500 and 600 people were in the park along with 25 to 30 police officers at the time of the shooting, Bowers said.

“That’s a lot of people for a park this small,” Bowers said.

Police were already at the park monitoring the gathering, but no illegal activity was reported until gunshots erupted, Bowers said.

“I’m pretty upset by this and there’s got to be a way to stop this from happening,” Bowers said.

Bowers said investigators believe there was one shooter. The shooter apparently left the park as people fled after the gunfire, Bowers said.

Bowers said video of the shooting started to turn up on social media by Friday afternoon.

“There are no security cameras there,” Bowers said. “We are hoping that the students will come forward. We know the person who did this is definitely on a camera somewhere.”

Greenbelt Mayor Emmett V. Jordan said the group went to the park in Greenbelt from “another area,” but he didn’t specify where.

“This is unnecessary,” Jordan said. “We’re shocked.”

“It’s hurtful,” state Sen. Alonzo Washington said. “Our students were not safe. They deserve to be safe.”

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