Maryland

Teen Girl Killed, Teen Boy Hurt in Alexandria Murder-Suicide

Friends of the victims say the gunman was the teen victim's ex-boyfriend

The victims of a shooting Sunday night in a park in Alexandria, Virginia, are a teenage girl who has died and teenage boy who is hurt, police said Monday. 

A 17-year-old girl, of Alexandria, has died. Police did not immediately release her name. A 15-year-old boy, also of Alexandria, has serious injuries and is in stable condition. 

The suspected shooter, Yerson Nunez Lopez, of Maryland, killed himself, Alexandria police say. He was 19. 

Friends of the victims say Lopez was the girl's ex-boyfriend and the 15-year-old is her brother. 

Police declined to comment on the shooter's motive. They said it was not gang-related. 

"It's a tragedy for the families that are involved," Capt. Len Fouch. "You have kids that are that young that feel that they have to resort to that type of violence to work something out. It's a tragedy all around." 

The attack remains under investigation.

T.C. Williams High School, in Alexandria, released a statement saying the school was "impacted" by the shooting. It was not immediately clear if the shooting victims or suspect went to the school. School officials said they would not answer further questions, because of the ages of those involved. 

The school made counselors available to students and staff.

Police were called to All Veterans Park near the 200 block of N. Pickett Street about 8:45 p.m. Sunday for a report of a shooting. 

A woman told News4 she heard at least five shots from her home.

"All of a sudden a 'Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.' It was hard to determine where it came from, but a few seconds later, the sirens, the police. The area went wild," the woman said. 

Police searched the area with a helicopter and then announced they were no longer looking for the shooter.

Police initially said they were investigating a shooting between the 100 and 200 blocks of North Pickett Street about 9 p.m. Sunday. They then said the shooting was "isolated to the park."

The teen girl's death marks the sixth homicide in Alexandria this year. 

Anyone with information for police is asked to call 703-746-6751.

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