Five teens shot at ‘senior skip day’ event.
Five teenagers were shot in Greenbelt, Maryland after hundreds of students gathered earlier in the afternoon for a senior skip day event.
Police said they were at least 500-600 high schoolers when officers arrived at the park.
Five victims, between the ages of 16 and 18, were found suffering from gunshot wounds. Detectives believe the suspects left the park.
“This is a horrible, tragic, senseless act that happened today,” Greenbelt Police Chief Richard Bowers. “There is absolutely no reason that this occurred.”
Greenbelt Police Department Press Release
April 19, 2024
We are deeply saddened to share that such an unfortunate event occurred in our community today. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and all those affected by this senseless act of violence.
Today, around 2:30 p.m., the Greenbelt Police Department responded to Schrom Hills Park in the 6900 block of Hanover Parkway. The police received a call about a large group of over 500 people believed to be high school students participating in senior skip day. The police officers discovered that the students were from multiple schools in the county.
Officers from the Greenbelt Police Department, along with officers from Prince George PD, Maryland State Police, U.S. Park Police, ATF, FBI, and Berwyn Heights, responded to the call for traffic and crowd control. When the officers were walking in the park, they heard multiple gunshots in the crowd. They immediately went towards the area from where they believed the shots came from and found five victims.
The officers secured the area, conducted a search, and provided medical care to the injured. The students at the park started running out onto Hanover Parkway, and the suspect escaped with the crowd.
All five victims were taken to a local hospital for medical treatment, with one in critical condition and four in stable condition. The victims’ age range is from 16 to 18 years old.
This incident is under investigation, and assistance is needed to help close the case.
Anyone with information or a video of the party that could aid in the investigation is urged to contact the police at 301-474-7200 or email at [email protected].