Gunfire cracked the quiet near the Adlai E. Stevenson educational campus in Soundview on Friday morning, drawing a fast police response to Lafayette Avenue and Stickball Boulevard. A ShotSpotter alert brought NYPD officers to the scene, where police said they recovered at least two bullets on the ground outside the school. Witnesses told officers that two teenage boys were seen firing shots before running south on Stickball Boulevard. Authorities did not immediately report any injuries, and the suspects were gone by the time officers arrived.
Police response and evidence at the scene
According to News 12 New York, officers rushed to the Soundview campus after the ShotSpotter system detected gunfire and found at least two bullets outside the school. Police said the teens took off from the area, and officers began canvassing nearby blocks for witnesses and surveillance footage that might show the shooters or their escape route.
School status and campus details
The city’s official school calendar lists March 20 as Eid al-Fitr, so NYC public schools were not in session Friday, according to the NYC Department of Education. The Adlai E. Stevenson educational campus, a cluster of small high schools along Lafayette Avenue, sits in Soundview and includes buildings with Stickball Boulevard addresses, per NYC Department of Education facility listings.
Investigation underway
Police did not immediately announce any arrests, and investigators were still working to determine a motive. There was no indication the shooters were targeting a specific person, News 12 New York reported. Detectives were reviewing video and asking anyone with information to contact authorities.
Why it matters
Gunfire near school property is treated as an urgent safety and investigative concern, even when students are not in class. Local officials typically coordinate with the NYPD to pull security footage, track down witnesses, and assess any ongoing risk to the neighborhood. This story will be updated if police release additional information or announce arrests.
