NEW YORK — Authorities stepped up patrols at schools on Wednesday after three shootings were reported near such institutions in Manhattan in the five hours the day before. The shooting prompted an emergency closure of schools while police investigate safety.
The first shots rang out on Tuesday shortly before 10 a.m. Upper West Sideout of high school Martin Luther King In Amsterdam Avenue between west 67th there 68th street. Police said a fight broke out between a group of teenagers and bullets flew soon after.
A 17-year-old was shot in the stomach, police say, and ran to his high school a block away. All schools in the area, including the famous LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, have been closed while the area is under investigation.
The victim was taken to hospital where he will recover after undergoing surgery. The alleged shooter, who is not a high school student, and the victim were former classmates at one point, police say.
Eyewitnesses helped police track down the suspected shooter, a 19-year-old with three previous arrests who nearly missed getting into a yellow cab. Officers found a weapon inside the vehicle at West 65th Street there West End Avenue. The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was out on bail at the time of the shooting, police said.
The emergency closure of schools was finally lifted shortly before 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Then, just before 1 p.m. in Harlem, two people were shot when students from Harlem Renaissance School In 128th street there Madison Avenue they went out to lunch. A 16-year-old boy was hit by gunfire and was reportedly the intended target. A 27-year-old man was also shot but is believed to be an unwanted victim.
Both victims received kicks in the legs and were rushed to hospital in Harlem, where both are expected to survive. Police are looking for three men dressed in dark clothing who were seen leaving the scene and who may have been involved.
The third shooting took place shortly before 3:00 p.m. East of Harlem. Police said shots were fired in East 105th Street there Park Avenue. No one was injured, but police then called in additional troops from other parts of the city to prevent another shooting from taking place.
According to police sources, the three shootings are linked.
“Right now we are proceeding as if everyone is online. Why am I saying this? The proximity, the geography around the school, the ages of our victims and now we can confirm an incident. This incident here is gang-motivated,” he said. New York Police Chief John Chell patrols. “Without the help of the community here this morning, this would have been a more difficult case to solve.”
The NYPD promised an increased police presence overnight at all three crime scenes. Secondary school students should expect to see officers when they arrive on Wednesday and when they leave in the afternoon.
Investigations into the shootings are ongoing.
Ana Ledo reports from the Upper West Side.