School Bus Shooting: 4 Suspects Sought, Annapolis Police Have Lead

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Police said they are searching for four suspects after three children were shot while exiting a school bus Friday in Annapolis.

"Four suspects brandished firearms and began shooting at a group of students," the Annapolis Police Department said in a Monday press release. "Once the shooting ceased, the four suspects fled the area on foot."

Police Chief Edward Jackson told WMAR that detectives have a vague description of one shooter and are using surveillance video to identify a vehicle spotted fleeing the scene.

"It seems like the perfect storm that the gunfire erupted just as the kids were getting off of the bus," Jackson told WMAR.

Annapolis police spokesperson Miguel Dennis told Patch the students were not the intended targets.

"Everybody is a potential victim whether you are in dispute or not. They're collateral damage," Jackson told WMAR. "A crossfire can be just as deadly as targeted."

Dennis said the three victims were hospitalized, and one was flown to a hospital in a Maryland State Police medevac helicopter.

All the victims have since been discharged and are recovering at home, Dennis said.

WBFF and WMAR both reported that the victims were ages 12 and 13.

Two of the students shot attend Mary Moss at J. Albert Adams Academy. One attends the Phoenix Academy. Students at those Annapolis schools share a bus.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools had counselors available for students on Monday. AACPS also had additional student services staff on standby to deploy if necessary.

"Young people should not have to be terrified to get off their school bus and walk home, but that is the very situation that our students were thrust into on Friday afternoon," AACPS spokesperson Bob Mosier told Patch in a Wednesday email. "This was an incident of community violence in which our students were caught up and traumatized. We are all fortunate that these children were [not] more seriously injured."

An officer patrolling the Bywater Mutual Homes neighborhood said they heard multiple gunshots Friday around 4:24 p.m. on Copeland Street. The first responder immediately summoned additional officers.

Authorities said they found the victims suffering from gunshot wounds to the legs and shoulder.

"Psychologically and emotionally, they have a long road to haul before they're healed," Jackson told WBAL.

Related: 3 Students Shot Exiting Annapolis Bus Released From Hospital: Reports

The Annapolis Police Department asked anybody with information to call 410-260-3439. Tipsters can also anonymously contact officers at 410-280-CLUE (410-280-2583).

The Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland offered a cash reward of up to $2,000 for information that leads to an arrest or an indictment on felony charges. The Metro Crime Stoppers is a non-police organization that collects tips and shares them with detectives.

Informants can anonymously contact the Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP (1-866-756-2587), on metrocrimestoppers.org or through the P3 Tips mobile application.

"My detectives are working around the clock, they've been working all weekend long looking at footage for an entire city," Jackson told WBAL, noting that he's confident his team will find the culprits.

This map shows the area where authorities said the shooting happened.