Manhunt Continues For San Francisco School Shooting Suspects
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The search continued Wednesday for four suspects who were seen fleeing the site of a San Francisco high school shooting that left four students wounded, one in serious condition with life-threatening injuries.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, SFUSD Interim Superintendent Myong Leigh said the suspects were not students and had targeted their victims.
"Our understanding at this time is that a small group of outsiders unaffiliated with the school came to campus around the time of school dismissal, targeting a particular student for reasons that are presently unclear," the superintendent wrote. "Sadly, four students were injured during the incident."
"June Jordan is made of more than this, and we are a community," said June Jordan senior Maria Zaragoza. "These are the moments that good or bad, we come together."
Chalk messages saying "Black Lives Matter" greeted students coming to the school Wednesday morning, the day after the four victims were shot in the high school's parking lot.
"We are going to heal from this and we're going to continue to use compassion," said Giulio Sorro, Director of June Jordan High School.
Security was increased at the school and counselors were on campus Wednesday morning for any student who needed assistance as classes resumed for the day.
"We are committed to supporting our students and their families as they overcome their physical and emotional wounds," Leigh wrote.
Meanwhile, investigators were reviewing surveillance camera video to see if any images of the shooting had been captured.
Police said they responded to a report of shots fired in front of 325 La Grande Avenue, which is the campus for both the June Jordan School for Equity and City Arts and Tech High School, at around 3:17 p.m. as both high schools were letting out for the day.
Upon arrival, police found three students – two males and a female all 15 years old -- had been wounded in a shooting.
The three injured students had run back into the school bleeding after being shot in the parking lot.
"I was getting ready to leave the school and I seen everybody running," said June Jordan student Nalayah Linton. "It was shocking. Very shocking."
A fourth student showed up later at the Bayview police station with injuries from the shooting.
The school was placed on lockdown to make sure there was no active shooter on site.
"We did the best we could and we provided a safe space immediately," said June Jordan Principal Jessica Huang.
Three students suffered non-life threatening wounds, but the teenage girl who was shot in the torso was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries.
A police spokeswoman said the girl's condition has been upgraded to serious but still life-threatening on Wednesday morning.
Police said at least one of the students injured in the shooting was specifically targeted in the attack.
Parents, students and administrators at the school were shaken by the shooting.
"This is a very difficult time for this community and for this neighborhood," said parent Heather Lee.
"We are really worried about everyone and it was really eye opening for us," said 10th grader Nalayah Linton. "But what are we going to do from here on out?"
That was the question on many parents' minds. Mario Baines' daughter is a senior at the school.
He wants more security.
"Being able to have a squad car here once school is out, just to stay here as a deterrent," said Baines.
Since this school is focused on social justice, students and staffers blame larger issues at play.
"What we will continue to do is continue to get to the root causes why young men feel so hopeless in this world and society that they would take another young man's life so quickly," said Sorro.
For students, the answer to the violence is found in one another.
"Love overcomes hopelessness and together as a whole as a community we will succeed," said Linton.
Investigators said four male suspects were last seen running west on Brazil away from the June Jordan campus. The suspects are currently still at large. They were described as wearing dark pants and hooded sweatshirts.
Authorities are asking that anyone with information on the shooting get in touch with policeimmediately.
