Three teenagers were inadvertently shot this afternoon in the South Bronx, leaving one dead and two injured.
The tragedy comes just a few days after an innocent woman was struck by bullets in the Fordham section of the Bronx.
“We’re here this afternoon to update New Yorkers about a tragic shooting,” Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a 4 p.m. press conference. “A shooting that took the life of a teen, a young woman with a bright future and injured two others who were struck by bullets on the streets of the Bronx.”
According to NYPD Inspector Timothy McCormack, around 1:45 p.m., the police received a 911 call about shots fired at the corner of 156th Street and Saint Ann’s Avenue near University Heights High School’s South Bronx Campus.
A preliminary investigation by officers from the 40th Precinct revealed that a suspect was standing on the southeast corner of 156 Street and Saint Ann’s who was gesturing to someone on the southwest corner of the intersection. The two allegedly began arguing and one suspect allegedly pulled out a gun and fired shots in the westbound direction.
The stray bullets struck three teens who were walking home from school. A 16-year-old female was shot in the chest and pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital; a 16-year-old female was shot in the chin; and a 17-year-old was shot in the buttocks who remain at Lincoln Hospital.
According to state Sen. Luis Sepúlveda, whose district includes the University Heights neighborhood, the 16-year-old who was killed was from University Prep Charter High School, while the other victims shot attend Mott Haven Village Prep High School.
“While authorities are still investigating the incident, our community knows too deeply that once again, guns are bringing grief to our families and to our community,” Sepulveda said in a statement. “Families and community members of the Bronx emphasize concern that these types of incidents are happening in broad daylight. I have long warned that the gun violence situation in our state and community is a multi-factorial matter that needs to be treated as a public health emergency.”
McCormack said the police do not have any suspects, but will be looking at video and canvassing the area. Police are also in the midst of notifying families of the students who were victimized.
Anyone with information regarding the homicide can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
Reach Jason Cohen at jcohen@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260-4598. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
