WASHINGTON -
A shooting outside a Southeast D.C. apartment complex Monday afternoon left two children and a camp counselor injured. It happened around 12:20 p.m.
D.C. Police say a group of about 30 children between the ages of five and 12 years old were lined up on the sidewalk at the intersection of 19th Street and Savannah Terrace.
The children were attending the Parkland Summer Day Camp and were walking with a camp counselor to another building for food. Police say the gunshots suddenly rang out.
"What we think is that a subject ran by, who was the intended victim. Some individual took some shots at this subject and end up striking the children, unfortunately, and the adult male," says Seventh District Commander Joel Maupin.
A seven-year-old was hit in the shoulder, an eight-year-old struck in the ankle and the male camp counselor was also shot in the ankle.
Police say the counselor tried to protect the kids by rushing them into the rental office of the Grandview Village Apartments.
All the victims were taken to the hospital. The seven-year-old's injury is said to be serious, but not life-threatening.
Panicked parents rushed to the scene to get their children.
Richard Gadson, whose five-year-old son Richard III was with the group of children caught in the gunfire, says he was terrified.
"I just dropped everything I was doing and rushed over here," says Gadson. "I grabbed my kids, because they're my children, you know what I'm saying?"
Police don't know what led to the shooting, but some neighbors say there were signs of trouble over the weekend.
Both the gunman and the intended target are being sought. Police have only a vague description of the suspect. He is described as a heavy-set black male with a ponytail. He was wearing a white t-shirt.
