A teenager playing in a baseball game at Skyline High School in Mesa was struck by an unidentified projectile Thursday night after gunfire erupted nearby, sending the campus into a brief lockdown before police determined the shooting was not connected to the school. The teen was evaluated at the scene by emergency responders and did not need to be taken to a hospital.
Mesa police officers responded around 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5 to reports of gunshots heard just east of Skyline High School, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Several after-school activities were underway on campus at the time, including a baseball game being played on a field along the school's eastern edge, as reported by The Arizona Republic.
Accounts of exactly where the shots originated have varied. YourValley.net reported that police initially received a call about shots fired at the athletic fields of the school, located at 845 S. Crismon Road. Mesa police later clarified Friday that the shooting happened off campus, after originally saying it occurred at the school, according to azfamily.com.
Conflicting Details on How the Teen Was Hit
Reports also diverge on how the teen came to be struck. YourValley.net reported that authorities said a juvenile may have been struck by a “ricocheting projectile,” while FOX 10 Phoenix reported that a juvenile taking part in the baseball game was hit by what investigators described as an unidentified projectile. The Arizona Republic's reporting likewise described the teen as having been struck by an unidentified projectile while playing in the game.
Mesa Fire and Medical personnel evaluated the teen at the scene, and the teen did not require transportation to a hospital, per FOX 10 Phoenix's reporting. A separate account from azfamily.com similarly noted that the child was evaluated at the scene and refused to be taken to a hospital.
Lockdown Lifted as Investigation Continues
Skyline High School was placed under a brief lockdown that was lifted a short time after the incident, according to azfamily.com. Investigators believe the gunfire originated in a nearby neighborhood and was not related to the school, based on evidence gathered so far, the station's report states.
Mesa police have found no indication that Skyline High School or anyone on campus was intentionally targeted, and investigators have not identified any ongoing threat to the school, FOX 10 Phoenix reported. The exact circumstances behind the gunfire, including who may have fired the shots, remain unresolved.
Mesa police are asking community members in nearby neighborhoods who witnessed suspicious activity to contact the department at 480-644-2211, according to Yahoo News. Police have said that even information that may seem insignificant could be valuable to the investigation.
