The Lansing community has been rocked by a daytime shooting that injured two Sexton High School students. According to a WILX report, the incident occurred near Vivian Riddle Elementary School at roughly 3 p.m., just before students were dismissed. Lansing police found the two 16-year-olds with gunshot wounds. One remains in critical condition while the other is expected to recover.
In response to the violence, Lansing School District disseminated a statement expressing their concern for the safety and well-being of their students. "This news has deeply affected all of us, and our thoughts and prayers are with these students and their families as they continue their recovery," Superintendent Shuldiner said, as per WLNS. The district has made counselors and support specialists available to the community needing to process the traumatic event.
The local neighborhood is struggling to comprehend this act of violence, with residents searching for ways to prevent future incidents. Heath Lowry, the Westside Neighborhood Association President, told CBS News Detroit that although the occurrence of gun violence is concerning, the community is driven to take action rather than increase police presence. "We all feel a responsibility; we have two schools in our neighborhood, and we want to make sure that those stay good places for children to be," Lowry stated, underscoring the shared sense of duty towards the safety of their children.
Marcia Medina, a local resident, criticized the vagueness of the school district's notification about the shooting, claiming it failed to convey the situation's severity. "It said that the students were seriously injured. It didn't mention that it was gun violence. It didn't mention that it happened on the grounds, or at the very least, very near Riddle Elementary," Medina conveyed in the CBS News Detroit interview. As the police investigation continues, with no suspects in custody, neighbors have been asked to share any potentially helpful footage from their home security cameras.
