By Jonann Brady
Based on initial information from the police, the Herald reported last week that four gunshots were fired and four shell casings found in the high school parking lot. According to recent information from Det. Robert Pescatelli of the First Precinct, two shells -- one spent and one live round from a 9-mm gun -- were found on the east end of the lot on school grounds. Det. Pescatelli said that based on witness reports, anywhere from two to five shots may have been fired.
Det. Pescatelli said that a group of five Baldwin students were walking from the front entrance of the school toward the east parking lot near Brookside Avenue, where they observed a group of 10 to 15 students hanging around a car and yelling. The smaller group said they heard what they thought were firecrackers go off from the east part of the lot, but then realized the noises were gunshots.
After the explosions, the group near the car started to run toward the group of five students. One young man walked by the group of five and words were exchanged but no physical confrontation followed, said Pescatelli. The Baldwin students did not recognize any of the larger group, who ran past them and off school grounds.
While there is a long-standing rivalry between Baldwin and Freeport basketball teams, both police and the district say that athletes were not involved.
No suspects have been arrested at this point. First Squad Det. Sgt. Roy Gorddard said that at least 50 people were interviewed by police immediately after the incident and detectives are working closely with the district to follow up with other students, both from Baldwin and Freeport.
"More than likely, the information will come from the student body," said Det. Sgt. Gorddard. "Our best bet is some kid bragging to his girlfriend at school."
The details of the case remain sketchy, but both students and the school district believe that Baldwin students were not responsible for firing the shots.
"To the best of our knowledge, none of our students were involved," said district spokesperson Trish Hughes.
In interviews with over a dozen high school students, several speculated that the incident was gang related.
Sgt. Gorddard said that there was no evidence of gang activity at this point. "There's nothing to indicate that, but we never, never rule that out," he said.
Jason Flemming, a 14-year-old freshman, was coming out of wrestling practice that evening and saw the crowd but did not hear a shot.
In an interview outside the school last week, Flemming and a group of four friends said that though they tried to steer clear of trouble, they were still concerned about the possibility of encountering violence during and after school.
"What can we do?" said Fleming. "As long as you stay out of the crossfire."
Several other students expressed similar resignation.
"Anything's possible," said Christopher Adamou, a 17-year-old senior.
"But you can't live your life in fear," said his friend, 17-year-old Brett Martello.
Adamou added that administrators should have informed the student body about the incident. "They don't tell us anything. If there's a gunshot, we should know," he said.
While Hughes said the district had little information to share about this incident, high school Prinicpal Susan Knors recently sent out a letter to parents detailing a number of new security measures at the school. The measures include:
