ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The sound of children at play in the Robinwood public housing community in Annapolis interrupted by gunfire.
“They were playing football and all I heard was shots so I dropped to the ground. Came outside. I heard a little girl screaming,” a man told us who lives near the site of the shooting, but did not want us to identify him for his own safety.
“How many shots did you hear?”
“Probably like eight or nine.”
One bullet caught a 15-year-old boy in the back, while another struck an 11-year-old girl in the shoulder.
A third victim, a girl who is also 15, was injured fleeing for her life.
“This is a community that is in shock,” said Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. “Last night, someone’s 15-year-old son was paralyzed from a gunshot.”
In the 24 hours since this double shooting occurred, Annapolis police have responded to shots fired where no victims were found in two other communities.
Police Chief Edward C. Jackson says he’s has had enough.
“It’s no way in hell, in hell, that we should be comfortable with 11-year-olds and 15-year-olds being shot anywhere,” said Jackson. “Not just the City of Annapolis. Anywhere.”
While police do not believe the children were targeted, it’s difficult to imagine the shooter didn’t know they were in his line of fire.
A witness says the teen who was paralyzed scattered along with other children when he heard gunfire and didn’t even know he had been struck until the gunman had finished firing and disappeared into some nearby woods.
“It was just kids out playing so you never know how it will go,” said the witness who ran to try to help the children. “but that’s just how it is living in certain neighborhoods.”
If you have any information, which could help police, you’re asked to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP and you could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
