A heavy police presence has blocked streets in a residential neighborhood near schools in Washington DC where a gunman reportedly starting shooting from an apartment building.
There were reports of at least three people – a man and a woman and one child – who were shot and injured around 3.30pm, NBC Washington reported.
Police were seen escorting a man in a black graphic t-shirt in handcuffs toward a police car around 4.30pm. It is unclear if the man is the shooter and as of 5.30 pm, police said no suspect or suspects were in custody.
Stuart Emerman, Metropolitan Police’s Assistant Chief of Technical and Analytical Services Bureau, said officers did detain people running from the scene but he did not believe that any suspects were in custody as of a Friday evening press conference.
He added that the victims have been hospitalized but are in ‘stable condition.’
An unverified video has been circulating social media that people are claiming the gunman took of him shooting victims. Emerman said they could not yet verify that the video was related.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke Friday and thanked first responders and offered prayers for the victim.
Police are reportedly entering the AVA building on Connecticut and Van Ness Avenue wearing riot gear and armed with guns, a local reported. Dozens of cop cars and emergency vehicles have flooded the streets and office can be seen taking ‘defensive positions,’ according to a Fox 5 livestream.
Groups of people were seen being escorting by police, some running alongside police.
Police were seen escorting a pan in handcuffs from the scene
The shooting reported started from the AVA apartment building (pictured)
People on social media reported hearing heavy gunfire in the area, with multiple social media videos depicting the sound of heavy, rapid fire gunshots. Witnesses told Fox 5 that they heard at least 100 gunshots go off in the area.
A mass casualties unit is reportedly heading toward the scene and a shelter in place order has been put in place. UDC-Van Ness campus is now in lockdown and students have been told to shelter in place until further notice.
A mother heard from her eleventh-grade son at Edmund Burke School that he heard multiple gunshots and the students have since taken cover. Another father reported he saw some of the school’s windows were broken, according to NBC Washington.
A group of Edmund Burke ninth-graders have been pictured hiding in a liquor store, according to WUSA 9.
‘This is the worst nightmare any parent can have,’ another parent told NBC Washington.
The DC police reported they are at the scene and the streets have been flooded with police equipment. Local schools are also issuing lockdown orders
Police are seen with longarm guns, taking defensive position around cars
Two officers were seen with ballistic shields and guns near the shooting incident
Police were seen running with groups of people down the street, escorting them to safety
Police evacuate people near the scene of the shooting in Northwest Washington
A Howard Law School student, who did not give her name, told WUSA 9 that she was on her lunch break when heard multiple gunshot go off.
‘It was an entire standstill, everybody stopped their cars,’ she said. ‘We were bumper to bumper. We didn’t know what to do…Then we heard another round go off, at least 20 shots. We started to go down Van Ness and all the cars stopped again, and we heard another round go off. We didn’t know how close the bullets were so we just stopped right there.’
She also reported seeing children and adults running down the street.
Parents are waiting near Edmund Burke as the children are in lockdown inside.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive (ATF) are also assisting DC Police. Police have been seen with longarm guns and taking defensive positions behind cars and other vehicles, Fox 5 reported. Secret Service is also reportedly assisting the situation, according to NBC Washington.
These streets are currently closed: Connecticut Avenue Northwest between Sedgwick and Yuma streets; Tilden Street between Reno Road and 29th Street Northwest, and Van Ness Street at Connecticut Avenue Northwest, according to WTOP News.
This is a developing story.
Police were seen near Van Ness and Connecticut Avenues
Street cameras show police blocking the street. It has been reported that police have entered the AVA building in riot gear. The shooter is still at large
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