Teen shot at Maryland party undergoes 14 surgeries; dad wants justice

A high school student from Montgomery County remains in the hospital and is still recovering after being shot at a party in August. 

Authorities say the person responsible for shooting 16-year-old Chase Lancaster is still at large.

He has already undergone 14 surgeries, and his father, Alex Lancaster, said Chase faces a long road to recovery.

"It’s just so sad because he had so many great opportunities ahead of him, dreams to fulfill, and now they’ve been taken away from him unjustly, lost, or significantly delayed," Alex Lancaster told FOX 5.

The shooting occurred during a party with nearly 150 high school students at the Urban Green Apartments clubhouse in Urbana, Maryland, on Aug. 9. 

According to witnesses, a group of individuals, appearing to be teenagers, entered the party wearing COVID-19 masks and unexpectedly opened fire.

Chase was shot in the chest, and a bullet grazed his heart. Alex Lancaster said his son is lucky to be alive.

"Thankfully, some of his friends knew how to take off his shirt and apply pressure to his wounds until the ambulance and EMT arrived on scene," his father explained.

Alex Lancaster called his son a hero, recounting how a young woman told him Chase shielded her from harm, ultimately saving her life.

"He’s a great kid. Was at the wrong place at the wrong time," Alex Lancaster said.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover Chase’s medical expenses and to raise a reward for anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the suspects.

"Please know you’re going to be caught. We are going to find you. You will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. You’re not going to get away with this," Alex Lancaster warned the shooters.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear.