Two teens have been arrested in connection with the chaotic senior skip day shooting in Greenbelt, Maryland, that sent five people to the hospital earlier this month.
Hundreds of teenagers gathered at Schrom Hills Park April 19 for a skip day gathering that ended in chaos as shots were fired.
Video recorded by a Bladensburg High School student who shared it with News4 captured the sound of teens celebrating interrupted by gunfire.
Five teens were shot, and the shooters fled among the scattering crowd.
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Prince George’s County police – with the help of the sheriff’s office, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – identified a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old as suspects. U.S. marshals arrested them in Bowie and District Heights.
The suspects face attempted murder and gun charges and are charged as adults.
The skip day was not a school-sanctioned event but is a widely known tradition in Prince George’s County.
Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy opposes senior skip days.
“Our young people deserve a future free from violence, and it is our responsibility as grownups to show them the way,” she said. “I know that senior skip days might sound like a lot of fun, but senior skip days of 20 years ago was not like senior skip days today.”
The injured teenagers – all between ages 16 and 18 – have been released from the hospital.
In response to the shooting, Greenbelt’s city manager said more camera trailers will be added to the park and license plate readers around the city.
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