Five Maryland teenagers were shot and two were critically injured during a water gun fight that was part of a “senior skip day” celebration in Greenbelt, Maryland. The tradition, where students skip school, gathered a crowd of about 500 teens at Schrom Hills Recreation Center after being scattered initially by Bowie and county police. The event took a dangerous turn when live shots were fired, with police investigating whether the gun was brought by a participant in the water gun fight.
As the police responded to the incident, most of the teenagers left the park, leaving behind three victims with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. One of the critically injured victims had to be airlifted to the hospital. Two of the victims were under 18 years old, while the others were older than 18. The chaotic turn of events serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of reckless behavior, especially in large gatherings involving young people. Authorities are still working to determine the motive and identity of the individual who brought the real gun to the water gun fight.