BOSTON (WHDH) - An 18-year-old was shot and taken to an area hospital Thursday shortly after her high school graduation in Boston’s Seaport neighborhood, officials said.
Police responded to the area of 200 Pier 4 Boulevard near 11:45 a.m. after a report of a shooting, according to Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox.
Once on scene, Cox said, officers found the teen suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. She was then rushed to the hospital.
Police said the victim had just attended her graduation for Boston Collaborative High School. Though the school was holding a graduation ceremony at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Cox said the shooting did not happen at the graduation itself.
Police said that there were two crime scenes Thursday — one inside a parking garage near the museum and another on Pier 4 Boulevard, where a black Chevy involved had pulled over. Witnesses said the recent high school graduate in the passenger’s seat of the car was shot.
“I see one kid in a cap and gown just bolt by and he’s screaming, and then not even two seconds later, a car whips around the corner, the windows are all down and everybody’s screaming,” said witness Alexa Wirth.
“I hear, ‘She’s shot,’ and then everybody’s screaming and yelling, and I ran over and I started dialing 911,” Wirth continued.
Wirth said she went into an office building next to Tatte and asked for medical staff.
“She said, ‘We have two nurses that are on their way,’ so then two women came running out and they got in the car and they were helping the girl,” Wirth said.
Another woman, Sam Miller, also saw the incident.
“There was blood on their arm, not sure where the gunshot was, but they were pulled out and taken into the stretcher,” Miller said.
Cox said the incident did not appear to be a random event. Though an investigation was ongoing, he said there may have been some sort of altercation before shots rang out.
Cox asked for the public’s support as the investigation continued, urging anyone with information about this incident to reach out to authorities.
“To say this is an unfortunate incident would be an understatement,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden. “This is a travesty. This should not happen.”
“High school students attending a graduation on a beautiful day like today shouldn’t have to have that day marked by a shooting taking place and a young woman having to go to the hospital,” Hayden said.
Hayden said authorities were “in the sprawls of an active investigation” and said officials will pursue this case vigorously. He said his office will work to bring the person or people behind this shooting to justice.
“When you think of the fact that someone is leaving one of the most important days of their lives, in a positive way, to have them come out to now, one of the worst days, I’m sure, of their lives, is really unacceptable in this city,” said state Rep. Russell Holmes, who works nearby in Seaport.
He said he saw the aftermath of the shooting.
“I saw some kids running away, very active, don’t know if they were one of the suspects, but when I pulled up, that’s what caught my attention,” Holmes said.
He said the people were wearing caps and gowns.
SKY7-HD was over the scene near 12:15 p.m. and spotted several police vehicles parked in the area. Police had an entire block of Pier 4 Boulevard taped off near its intersection with Northern Avenue.
The shooting happened in a busy part of the Seaport that was bustling with activity near midday. Many onlookers gathered in the area while the police investigation continued.
“Never in my life did I imagine that there was a shooting here, so this is quite shocking,” said Terrance Flynn, who works in the area.
As of 11 p.m., police have not made any arrests.
This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.
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