PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Roxborough community continues to reel from the shooting that took place steps away from the high school Tuesday afternoon.
Community activists, concerned parents, and people from the community held up signs outside Roxborough High School, calling for an end to the senseless gun violence. Victoria Nice, a resident of Roxborough and parent, says the shooting terrifies her.
“I wish that there was something I could do about the gun violence,” she said.
Police say shots rang out after a football scrimmage outside the school. Five teens were shot, including 14-year-old Nicolas Elizalde of Havertown, who was pronounced dead at the hospital after being shot in the chest. The other four are recovering from injuries at varying local hospitals.
All five students played football at Roxborough High.
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Also standing outside of the high school was a young woman named Alexandria Hunt. She was holding a bouquet in her hand, looking for a place to lay them. She says she feels for the families of the boys who were shot.
"They were waiting to kill them they were waiting to take their life and they successfully took one,” she said. “It was a war zone, they were waiting to kill 14-year-old boys."
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said he was "outraged" and "shaken" by yet another act of violence against a teenager. He says crimes like this have to be prevented.
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"This is just a horrifying situation at every level," he continued. "Schools are supposed to be the answer. We keep kids in schools so they don't get involved in the shooting."
Despite the shooting, classes remained in session Wednesday. And it was not an ordinary day, as students tried hard to focus on learning amid such tragedy. When school let out, the students dispersed rather quickly with police and community members keeping watch.
Janai Smith, a frustrated 12th grader at the school, shares a similar sentiment to Krasner, saying school is supposed to be a haven for kids.
"Now I'm thinking nowhere is our safe zone," he said. "The only safe zone we’ll have is when we're dead.”
Police have not made any arrests in the shooting. There is a $40,000 reward for any information leading to the identification of the five suspects.