By Chrisleen Herard
Special to the AFRO
An elementary school was struck by bullets after a nearby shooting in Southeast Washington, D.C., on Sept. 19.
Authorities responded to shots fired in the 2300 block of Raynolds Place around 1 a.m. on Sept. 19,, just a one-minute walk away from Rocketship Rise Academy and hours before the school was set to open its doors.
“Upon entering Rocketship Rise Academy at approximately 6:30 a.m., staff found a written police notification regarding a shooting that occurred overnight in Woodland Terrace,” Sean Floyd, Rocketship DC’s director of external affairs, told the AFRO.
Because the shooting took place in the early morning, the elementary school was closed and no students or faculty were inside when the incident occurred. However, multiple bullets penetrated the windows.
The staff worked with police to make sure the building was safe enough for students to return to class before resuming regular operations.
“Our operations team, along with the Metropolitan Police Department, did multiple walkthroughs and investigations to ensure that the building was safe and secure for our Rocketeers,” Floyd said. “Aside from the relocation of one class, there was no disruption to the daily instruction and routine of our students.
“We are meeting regularly with the MPD, the Mayor’s Office, Councilmember Trayon White’s office, etc.,” Floyd added. “The MPD is upgrading their patrols of the area around the school.”
There has been a surge of violent crime in D.C., totaling nearly 4,000 incidents in the year so far, with assault with a deadly weapon accounting for 27 percent. In light of this, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser had a juvenile curfew go into effect on Sept. 1 to protect the public’s safety.
“Unfortunately, gun violence is all too common in the District and across our country—in particular, in the lives of our Black and Brown children,” Floyd said.
Police say there is no additional information at this time and the case remains under investigation.