A 13-year-old boy has been killed and four other children left wounded after a shooting that targeted a group of young people leaving a dance party in Baltimore, authorities have said.
Two 12-year-olds were among the children injured during the attack, in which several assailants reportedly opened fire on the crowd in the parking lot of a shopping mall in Rosedale.
“All loss of life is a tragedy ... but having a 13-year-old victim is both devastating and absolutely unspeakable,” Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt said at a press conference Sunday afternoon, according to the report.
“This level of violence is unacceptable. An adolescent lost his life for some senseless and unknown reason.”
The shooting happened just after midnight and the victim has been named as Rickie Forehand.
The other children hit during the incident include two 12-year-old boys, a 14-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl.
All four were hit by bullets and were taken to a local hospital for treatment. They have since been released.
A 19-year-old man was also said to have been wounded in the shooting and has also been released from hospital.
ABC News said that investigators have not commented on a possible motive behind the attack, but do not believe the outburst was random.
“As the victims left the event they were approached by several suspects in the parking lot. An altercation ensued and multiple shots were fired towards the group,” the Baltimore County Police Department said in a statement.
“This incident of gun violence in our community is shocking and horrifying. It has no place in our community, and we refuse to allow it to become normalized,” said Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski Jr, according to the report.
As people were leaving the busy dance party shots were fired without warning, witnesses told ABC affiliate station WMAR-TV in Baltimore.
Investigators are still working towards identifying the suspects and The Baltimore County Police Department is continuing to seek information from the public regarding the incident.
