Temple Hills community shaken after triple shooting leaves boy critically injured

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. ( DC News Now ) – The Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) is working to get answers to a lot of questions after a triple shooting at a Fourth of July celebration in Temple Hills . Among those hurt, was a child who had critical injuries.

People who live in the area are shaken. Some have lived in the neighborhood for years and they say in all that time, nothing like this has ever happened. Their biggest question is, “Why?”

“I didn’t even sleep,” said Ricardo Richardson. “I was thinking about him, seeing him down like that. I couldn’t sleep.”

Neighbors who live on Akron Street are in disbelief a day after a shooting at their Fourth of July block party.

“I heard the fireworks and then I saw everybody running,” recalled Lamont Colbert. “So, I asked everybody what’s going on, everybody was like, ‘They were shooting up the street and stuff.’”

PGPD said they believe two people started shooting at someone. That person then fired back.

Police confirmed three people were hit by gunfire, including two adults who are expected to be okay and a little boy whose injuries were critical.

“They never get the target,” said Richardson. “They always shoot but they never get the target. It’s others.”

Richardson recalled the moment he heard the gunfire.

“Anybody could have got shot to be honest with you,” he said. “You just had to run. We just had to run, there was nothing you could do. Nothing you could do.”

Another neighbor said it’s hard for her to process what happened.

“After seeing a child laying on the ground,” she said, “I don’t want to shoot fireworks, I don’t want to party, I don’t want to dance. I just wanted to go home. It’s a lot. I cried this morning. It was a lot.”

Lamont Colbert has lived in the neighborhood his entire life.

“I’m kind of upset about it,” he said. “You know, it’s sad. It’s real sad right now.”

DC News Now reached out to PGPD for updates. They say their investigation is ongoing and the little boy is still in critical condition, as of Friday evening.

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