Posted on 10/22/2002 6:44:08 PM PDT by ellery
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:34:49 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
A 9-year-old boy who was practicing with his youth football team was shot in the hip this evening by someone who fired from a wooded area at McKinley Park in Beltzhoover.
Officials said the boy sustained an abrasion wound to his left hip. He was taken to Children's Hospital in Oakland, where he was in fair condition, said hospital spokesman Dean Walters.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
We're not in the DC area, but we went to Barns and Nobles the other day. It was right next to a Michels. I got a creepy feeling, so I dropped the kids off at the door and met them inside after I parked the car. We're from NY.
Not his MO. 4 shots and a bad hit. I don't think so.
A large contingent of city police officers, using dogs and a helicopter, were searching Tuesday night for the gunman who shot and slightly wounded a youth football league player during practice on the field at McKinley Park in Beltzhoover and Knoxville.
Pittsburgh police Chief Robert W. McNeilly Jr. said police believe the shots were fired from the wooded hillside overlooking the field.
"He appeared to have been shot by a BB or pellet gun or possibly a (small-caliber) firearm," McNeilly said.
The 9-year-old victim was admitted to Children's Hospital in Oakland in fair condition with what a spokesman described as an "abrasion" wound of the lower hip and abdomen area. He was to be kept overnight for observation.
Police did not identify the victim, but witnesses said he was Chris Bradley-Bey, a student at Beltzhoover Elementary school.
McNeilly said the projectile caused a flesh wound but did not penetrate. Other investigators said the boy was hit in an area guarded by hip pads, which probably prevented more serious injury.
The shooting occurred about 7:30 p.m. as the youth and some of his teammates were standing on the sidelines near the 15-yard line of the field located off Bausman Street, McNeilly said.
McNeilly admitted that the sniper shootings in Washington, D.C., have law enforcement authorities concerned about a possible copycat, but said there is probably a less sinister explanation for the shooting.
"We believe there were some young kids in the woods, target shooting," McNeilly said.
Nevertheless, officers from a number of neighborhoods converged on the area to set up a perimeter and begin searching the woods, McNeilly said.
State police, as well as Allegheny County Sheriff's Deputies and Port Authority of Allegheny County police officers also were seen in the area. A television news helicopter was asked to aid in the search.
"When you have a young man shot while practicing football, that concerns us," said McNeilly in explaining the heavy police presence.
More than two dozen players from the undefeated Beltzhoover Browns youth football team were practicing for Saturday's playoff game against Hazelwood when the shooting occurred.
Because the area is known for youths setting off firecrackers and taking target practice in the woods, many parents and youngsters at practice initially believed they heard firecrackers going off, McNeilly said.
Then they saw the blood on the boy's uniform.
"All I heard was the coach yelling for everybody to get off the field," one player said. "I was the first one running. I was scared."
"I'm real scared. I think it could happen to me," he said. "I'm thinking about not going back to practice (today)."
The player also said he saw the victim lying on the ground after the shooting, screaming: "Could somebody please call the ambulance!"
Harold Lewis, who coaches another team in the youth football organization, said, "as I drove up, I saw all the kids hiding behind one of the coaches' truck, and all the coaches were administering first aid to the boy who was shot. There was blood in his groin area.
"I hustled my son into my car. It's funny, my wife and I were talking that we have family coming up from Washington, D.C., for a visit," Lewis said. "We were saying they must be feeling relieved that they were getting out of all that down there for a while.
"This can happen anywhere. We're all in the middle of this. The randomness of it all. You see it on TV and then someone else goes out and does it," Lewis said.
My experience tells me this is a richochet incident. Probably a target shooter or hunter in the woods. (could be up to a half mile away) Sounds like he got swatted by a mis-shapen chunk of lead.
No, I don't think this is what you think. This kid, according to the report, was not shot. He was grazed or scratched. If someone wanted to shoot a kid on that field, there were plenty to aim at.
I think this was a accident.
As to your theory, it is possible that this could happen and it may. The DC shootings may be linked to sympathizers or cells. It has always been a worrysome possibility. We just don't know yet. We will, and I hope soon.
My worries as well. The media saturation on all channels is extreme. An "update" that isn't. Seconds of material crammed into hours, with "experts" from all angles. Remember Bali? Australia - one of our very best allies who've provided troops for *years* gets attacked by Al-Q and hundreds killed. Haven't heard a peep about that for quite a while. Sickening.
But yeah, it could perhaps reach some sort of critical mass where just about every wack job in the country starts popping folks.
A 9-year-old boy who was practicing with his youth football team was shot, but not seriously wounded, last night by someone who fired several times from a wooded area in McKinley Park in Beltzhoover. The boy was struck in the left hip by a shot that may have come from a BB or pellet gun or possibly a small-caliber firearm, said Pittsburgh Police Chief Robert W. McNeilly Jr. The shooting prompted immediate fears that a sniper might have been responsible. McNeilly was careful to say that police could not rule out any possibility. "I think there is some question in that regard, and that's the reason we want to investigate this immediately and thoroughly," he said. But, he added, "We believe right now it was young kids firing guns." McNeilly said police have been told that children often play in the area with BB and pellet guns. Several residents said they heard "popping" sounds similar to what they've heard before, he said. The boy, Chris Bradley-Bey, a pupil at Beltzhoover Elementary School, was taken to Children's Hospital in Oakland, where he was in fair condition, said hospital spokesman Dean Walters. He sustained an abrasion wound, Walters said, meaning that the pellet or bullet did not penetrate his skin. He was being kept overnight for observation. Police blocked off an area of several blocks around the park and began combing the woods with K-9 units, uniformed officers and detectives, while a KDKA-TV helicopter flew overhead to assist with the search. The helicopter was equipped with a searchlight and thermal imaging camera. Police suspended the search around 10:30 last night. The shooting occurred about 7:30 p.m. at a football field at the park, which is located on Bausman Street, just above Saw Mill Run Boulevard. The shooting victim is a member of the Beltzhoover Browns, a peewee football team of 8- and 9-year-olds, said the team's coach, Dean Brown. Brown said about 30 players and five coaches were on the field when he said they heard about four shots fired from a wooded area overlooking the football field. Brown said he initially thought he heard firecrackers, but said the boy, who plays defensive line on the team, came up to him and said he had been shot. The boy, who was wearing his full uniform, was standing on the sideline of the field when he was hit. Brown said he pulled up the boy's jersey and saw blood. "This is unreal. We finally got the kids back into the community. We were practicing for the playoffs. We were undefeated. And something like this happens," said Brown. Harold Lewis of Knoxville, who has a son on the team and also coaches another team of older boys, said that he arrived moments after the boy was shot and saw the entire team crouching for cover by Brown's car. Lewis said they told him one of the players had been shot. "It's the worst feeling in the world, especially when you realize it's one of the kids that's been shot," Lewis said. "It's a terrible feeling." Lewis said the football program was revived this year after being out of action for about 20 years. The team was undefeated and was scheduled to play a playoff game on Saturday against the Hazelwood Cobras. But after taking several players home in his car, Lewis said he didn't know whether that game will be played. "All the kids said they won't be coming back," he said. "It's fear. They're scared." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I formatted this! Honest!
A 9-year-old boy who was practicing with his youth football team was shot, but not seriously wounded, last night by someone who fired several times from a wooded area in McKinley Park in Beltzhoover.
The boy was struck in the left hip by a shot that may have come from a BB or pellet gun or possibly a small-caliber firearm, said Pittsburgh Police Chief Robert W. McNeilly Jr.
The shooting prompted immediate fears that a sniper might have been responsible. McNeilly was careful to say that police could not rule out any possibility. "I think there is some question in that regard, and that's the reason we want to investigate this immediately and thoroughly," he said. But, he added, "We believe right now it was young kids firing guns.
" McNeilly said police have been told that children often play in the area with BB and pellet guns. Several residents said they heard "popping" sounds similar to what they've heard before, he said.
The boy, Chris Bradley-Bey, a pupil at Beltzhoover Elementary School, was taken to Children's Hospital in Oakland, where he was in fair condition, said hospital spokesman Dean Walters. He sustained an abrasion wound, Walters said, meaning that the pellet or bullet did not penetrate his skin. He was being kept overnight for observation.
Police blocked off an area of several blocks around the park and began combing the woods with K-9 units, uniformed officers and detectives, while a KDKA-TV helicopter flew overhead to assist with the search. The helicopter was equipped with a searchlight and thermal imaging camera. Police suspended the search around 10:30 last night.
The shooting occurred about 7:30 p.m. at a football field at the park, which is located on Bausman Street, just above Saw Mill Run Boulevard. The shooting victim is a member of the Beltzhoover Browns, a peewee football team of 8- and 9-year-olds, said the team's coach, Dean Brown.
Brown said about 30 players and five coaches were on the field when he said they heard about four shots fired from a wooded area overlooking the football field. Brown said he initially thought he heard firecrackers, but said the boy, who plays defensive line on the team, came up to him and said he had been shot.
The boy, who was wearing his full uniform, was standing on the sideline of the field when he was hit. Brown said he pulled up the boy's jersey and saw blood.
"This is unreal. We finally got the kids back into the community. We were practicing for the playoffs. We were undefeated. And something like this happens," said Brown. Harold Lewis of Knoxville, who has a son on the team and also coaches another team of older boys, said that he arrived moments after the boy was shot and saw the entire team crouching for cover by Brown's car.
Lewis said they told him one of the players had been shot. "It's the worst feeling in the world, especially when you realize it's one of the kids that's been shot," Lewis said. "It's a terrible feeling." Lewis said the football program was revived this year after being out of action for about 20 years. The team was undefeated and was scheduled to play a playoff game on Saturday against the Hazelwood Cobras. But after taking several players home in his car, Lewis said he didn't know whether that game will be played. "All the kids said they won't be coming back," he said. "It's fear. They're scared." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At least the funding sources would dry up for these lunatics and eventually they'd expire.
This can't continue.
I think you're overthinking, ws. ;) Why would applemac think something he doesn't think?
You're right, though, we'll know soon enough.
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