Police found evidence of a shooting near H.D. Woodson High School in Northeast D.C. on Friday night, but as of the latest report, no victims had been located. Officers responded to the school in the 500 block of 55th Street, Northeast, around 7:50 p.m. after reports of gunshots in the area.
Police found evidence of a shooting when they arrived on the scene, but have not found any victims, according to FOX 5 DC, which cited the Metropolitan Police Department. Officers are now searching for a suspect described as a Black male seen wearing a gray hoodie, black coat, black pants and black shoes.
Search for a Suspect Continues
No arrests had been announced as investigators worked to track down the person believed to be responsible. Police urged anyone with information about the shooting to call 202-727-9099 or send a tip by texting 50411. The outlet's report said it had reached out to the D.C. Public School District for comment and was still awaiting a response.
The shooting comes amid longstanding concerns about gun violence near D.C. campuses. A study of the 2011–12 school year found that, of 336 ShotSpotter gunfire incidents recorded in sensor-covered areas of Washington, D.C., more than half occurred within 1,000 feet of a school, according to a report from the Urban Institute. That same analysis found that just 9 percent of schools within ShotSpotter's range accounted for nearly half of all gunfire incidents, with those schools experiencing between 8 and 16 incidents apiece over the course of the year, and that 25 schools were exposed to gunfire around typical arrival or dismissal hours.
Earlier Unrest at the Same School
H.D. Woodson has drawn police attention before. A separate report from WUSA9 described officers responding to the school just after 3 p.m. on a prior Tuesday for a fight that involved students, families, and people with no affiliation to the school. That report said pepper spray was used during the brawl and that one person was arrested for assaulting a police officer after the fight was broken up, though police and school officials did not say what started it. The evidence available does not establish any connection between that earlier fight and Friday's shooting report.
Details remain limited as the investigation into Friday's shooting continues. No information has emerged about what was happening at the school at the time officers were called, and police have not said whether any suspects have been identified beyond the description circulated to the public.
