Juvenile Shot During Dispute In Alexandria: Police

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A juvenile was shot during a fight at the Bradlee Center in Alexandria on Tuesday, according to the police department.

Police responded around 3:45 p.m. Tuesday to the 3600 block of King Street, the area of the Bradlee Shopping Center, for a fight involving juveniles. One male juvenile was found with an upper body gunshot wound. The juvenile was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect fled before police arrived.

The incident happened not far from Alexandria City High School's King Street campus. ALX Now reported last week that Alexandria Police responded to fights in city public schools several times over the last month, including a fight caught on video in the first week. School resource officers are no longer present in public schools after Alexandria City Council reallocated funding for school resource officers to mental health resources in the latest fiscal year budget.

Mayor Justin Wilson, who opposed City Council's original decision to move school resource officer funds to continent reserves, responded on social media to the juvenile shooting.

"This is violence that our students should NEVER be exposed to," Wilson tweeted. "Thanks to @AlexandriaVAPD for their work in responding to this fight and the resulting shooting. We must do more to protect our students and our community at large from this violence."

Alexandria Police continue to actively investigate. Anyone with information can contact Detective B. Gill at 202-420-6209 or the police non-emergency line at 703-746-4444. Tips may be anonymous.