By Aaron Miller-
A shooting took place at Rudsdale Newcomer High School in the U.S, authorities have confirmed. The school serves recent immigrants ages 16-21 who have fled violence and instability in their home countries, according to the school’s website. It is one of four adjacent schools located on a block in east Oakland.
“The victims were affiliated with the school, and we are determining the affiliation at this time,” Oakland Assistant Police Chief Darren Allison said, although he declined to say whether any students or teachers were involved.
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Allison said police were seeking at least one suspect but did not have anyone in custody.
Three of the wounded were taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland, while the other three were taken to Eden Medical Centre in Castro Valley. Two of them with life-threatening injuries, while one person had been released and two others were expected to be released soon.
John Sasaki, a spokesperson for Oakland Unified School District, said in a statement that district officials “do not have any information beyond what Oakland Police are reporting”.
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Sasaki said counsellors were being made available for students and he could not say whether the schools at the site would be open tomorrow.
City Council Member Treva Reid said investigators told her the shooting may be tied to rising “group and gang violence”.
James Jackson, chief executive of Alameda Health System, also noted an increase in violence.
“We’ve seen almost a doubling of the violent crimes victims that we’re seeing here at our facility (Highland Hospital). So something has changed,” Jackson said.
City Council Member Loren Taylor, who was outside the school, declined to confirm any details about the incident, telling KTVU-TV, “Guns were on our school campuses where our babies were supposed to be protected.”
The shooting brings into sharp focus controversies about gun laws in the U.S, though the fact this shooting is believed to have been gang related may undermine the call for legal restrictions on accessibility to guns,
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