Prince George's County teen struck by stray bullet while playing video games: police
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Prince George's County police are looking for the suspect or suspects responsible after a 14-year-old boy was struck by a stray bullet Thursday night while he was in his bedroom playing video games.
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It happened on the 4600 block of Marie Street in Beltsville around 11:11 p.m.
The boy was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police say he is in stable condition.
Neighbors say they are concerned and one woman who heard the shots being fired spoke to FOX 5.
"Really I was surprised because nothing like this really actually happens over here and it’s pretty quiet and the fact that the person, people just moved in is really shocking," says neighbor Ronee Booth. "So we don’t even know them yet so something like this happening is kind of scary."
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A friend of the family who is housesitting while the boy is being treated says detectives are working to figure out where the bullet came from.
At this time, police do not believe the teenager was the intended target.
The teenager is a student at Paint Branch High School and loves soccer and basketball, according to family friend Joel Houlder.
He says what makes the situation worse is that the family just moved into their home one week ago.
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"I feel real scared now for them because they don’t know what’s going on and they said this is a safe neighborhood and look what happened," Houlder says. "Oh, they’re ready to move now. They don’t want to stay here any longer…No, they don’t want to stay."
County Executive Angela Alsobrooks released a statement on the incident saying she wishes the teenager a full and speedy recovering, adding in part:
"Our children should not have to fear gun violence in this community and in their homes due to poor decisions of adults."
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Prince George's County police are still looking for the suspect or suspects responsible. Anyone with information is asked to come forward.