PETERSBURG, Va. – A 13-year-old boy is recovering after he was hit by gunfire during a drive-by shooting at a Petersburg apartment complex Wednesday afternoon.
Police said the violence happened at the Lieutenant’s Run Apartments in the 400 block of Ridgeview Lane around 3:30 p.m.
“We received actually five calls for shots fired in this area,” Petersburg Police Chief Travis Christian said. “There should be an outrage right now about a 13-year-old being shot.”
A man, who spoke with WTVR CBS 6 Senior Reporter Wayne Covil on the condition of anonymity, said he heard multiple shots.
“Like five gunshots going off,” he recalled. “Like one and then five more coming behind it.”
Christian said a group of teens were having a “a conversation amongst themselves” when someone in a dark-colored car “opened fire on the teens.”
Police said about a half dozen shots were fired.
“It was crazy,” said the man who heard the shots.
One of those bullets hit the leg of the 13-year-old, who suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, according to police.
Officers to do not yet know if the shooting was random or if the teen was targeted.
A woman who knows the victim described him a “real good kid.”
“He really lights up the room when he comes, his smile,” she said. He’s really a good kid.”
The man who heard the shots was upset by what happened.
“It’s kind of sad, to be honest,” he said. “I have nephews his age and stuff like that and it really hurts seeing it.”
Police are urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.
“It’s unfortunate that we have this type of situation that would put our community in fear like this, especially when we’re dealing with our kids being hurt,” Christian said.
If you have information that could help detectives, call Petersburg Police at 804-732-4222 or Petersburg/Dinwiddie Crime Solvers at 804-861-1212 or text the keyword pdcash followed by the tip and send to 274637.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
