The 17 year old armed robber shot by police in yesterday’s shootout in front of the Holy Redeemer Primary School remains hospitalized tonight while his accomplice is still on the run. The alleged robber – whose name police aren’t releasing because he is a minor – was shot after robbing Accents Gift Shop. He was fleeing the scene when a customer turned the gun on him. A police mobile patrol was in the area and after they responded - a wild shootout ensued. It all played out at around 11 am on North Front Street – in the vicinity of one of the city’s largest primary schools. And that is the story tonight – the more than thousand students who witnessed the horrifying event. How are they coping? That is what Keith Swift found out.
Keith SwiftReporting,
Yesterday’s shooting victim fell directly in front of the gate to the Holy Redeemer Primary School in full view of hundreds of students. He is gone but today his blood was still there and so too was the trauma on those students who witnessed the wild shootout.
Leticia Canelo, Parent
”He doesn’t want to school this morning. He is scared, he felt like the same thing will repeat itself again.”
Elita Betancourt, Parent
“Last night he woke up two times frightened and they hollered for me and yesterday he didn’t want to come back he said he is afraid the
same thing will happen today.”
Father of Student,
“She was traumatized. He was frightened. She was crying yesterday because of the gunshots she heard.”
Gilda Smith, Grandmother of Student
“She was scared, she was crying and the baby he said he had run under the desk in his class because he is in infant one.”
Leticia Canelo, Parent
“Just scared, just scared they are scared and they didn’t want to come to school and I think they didn’t expect it to happen here, that is the whole story.”
But it did happen here and special emphasis has been placed on this Standard 2 class which is directly facing the street. Teacher Regina Cab says her students were on the steps when gunshots rang out – meaning they saw it first hand.
Regina Cab, Standard 2 Teacher
“During the time this incident happened, some of them were already
up the step and they saw first hand almost everything.”
Cab says her students are having problems focusing on their school work which is why class began this morning with a discussion of yesterday’s event.
Regina Cab,
“My students came to school this morning ready for school work but they kept asking about the incident but the first thing I did with them was go over some plans that we can do in case another incident like that happened and they were more or less comforted by their parents and they want to put it behind them and continue working. But every little thing, anybody who comes around here, they are still shaken but everything else is going normal right now.”
Holy Redeemer Primary School is the city’s largest primary school. The school’s principal is Molly Hulett.
Molly Hulett, Principal – Holy Redeemer Primary School
“Everything is back to normal. The children are in class, the teachers are here, and they are continuing to do the work as usual.”
But there is reason for concern. On Wednesday -a day before the shooting, an armed man was chased through the holy redeemer compound by police. He was eventually captured but it does raise security concerns.
Father,
“Sure I am concerned. You know how things happen, you have to accept everything that comes along.”
Elita Betancourt,
“Yes it could happen anywhere too, you could go out somewhere and you never know.”
Leticia Canelo,
“Right here the school is alright you know but the city is getting rough right now.”
Reporting for 7News, Keith Swift.
The 17 year old minor was shot in his left inner thigh, right hand, right calf, and left foot. Police say that on the minor – they recovered a.38 revolver, four.38 expended shells, $703.50 in cash, and 2 cell phones. They also recovered two beach cruiser bicycles. The other suspect escaped and is still at large.
