A teenager is recovering thanks to help from the community after more than 30 rounds were fired outside a Prince George's County laundromat Tuesday evening.
A 14-year-old boy and his mother were leaving the laundromat on 66th Avenue off Riverdale Road in the East Riverdale area when the boy was struck twice in the legs.
John Lopez called 911 after hearing gunfire, screams and cries for help. He was still on the phone with the 911 operator when he ran outside and saw the boy bleeding on the ground.
“They told me to get some rags and I ran inside and I started applying pressure to the two wounds the child had in order to stop the blood flow,” Lopez said.
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While it wasn’t clear whether the shooter or shooters were still around. Lopez rushed to the child’s aid while first responders were in route.
“I knew he was in pain because he was groaning and everything, but even when I applied pressure on his legs and even when the officers came and used tourniquets to try to stop the bleeding, he never cried,” Lopez said. “He never cried out.”
Lopez said the mother was as calm as could be expected.
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Bullets shattered the driver’s side window of an SUV parked in the lot. Another vehicle also was towed from the scene.
Police said it appeared neither the victim nor his mother were intended targets.
The gravity took time to sink in for Lopez.
“It wasn’t until later that it really registered in my mind that I did something very important for him,” he said.
Police are still working on a motive and suspects.
