A teenager was shot Sunday in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County, authorities said.
First responders were called at around 6:39 p.m. to an outdoor area of the Stony Brook Apartments complex located just off of Richmond Highway on Buckman Road, after a group of teens had gathered in an area next to the basketball court.
The victim, whose exact age was not revealed, was taken to a hospital.
"From what I was told, they were over there just talking, like how they normally do, and the little boy walked up, pulled out a gun and shot," one neighbor said. She said she didn’t hear the gunshot, but came outside when she heard screaming and crying.
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"Some teenagers, they were crying, like upset. They were in the grass crying, and I recognized some of their faces, so I walked over to see what was going on. That's when I seen the ambulance leaving," she said.
A video posted on Snapchat by a complex resident captured the moment officers reached the young teenager.
At the time, police called his condition life-threatening. The resident, who knows the victim’s family, has been told the teen is expected to survive.
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The suspect, also identified as a young teen, was last seen running down Old Mt. Vernon Highway about a half-mile from the scene, past the 7-Eleven and Citgo. A Fairfax County police helicopter searched for the gunman.
After the shooting, the resident worked to comfort the victim’s friends, bringing them cold drinks.
"And I asked one of the young kids, you know, was he responsive? And they was like, 'He just kept saying I don't want to die, I don't want to die,'" she said.
Soon after, she learned that she knew the victim and his mother. They used to live in the complex and he was back visiting friends, she said.
Despite the holiday, many neighbors appeared to keep their children inside on Monday after gunfire broke out near the playground.
Another resident, Emanuel Gebremeskel, was also troubled to hear about the shooting.
"I mean that's very unfortunate," he said. "Gun violence - never the answer."
There is no word from police on whether the suspect has been located and taken into custody.
