Students stabbed outside John Adams High School in Ozone Park, Queens
NEW YORK -- Police say at least two students were stabbed near a high school in Queens on Tuesday and the search continues for the suspect.
Witnesses say the stabbings happened in front of a church, directly across from John Adams High School in Ozone Park, CBS2's Natalie Duddridge reported.
It is still unclear if the two teenagers hurt attended the school, but police say they ran inside to get help.
Students were on edge leaving John Adams High on Tuesday afternoon, following the stabbings at around 10:30 a.m. on Rockaway Boulevard.
"It was kind of shocking what happens when we get out. Now there's danger around the school," a student said.
Authorities said two groups were involved in some type of altercation and then two young men who were hurt ran into the school and told staff they were stabbed by an unknown person.
A 16-year-old was stabbed in the leg and a 17-year-old suffered multiple stab wounds and is in critical condition, Duddridge reported. Both were taken to Jamaica Hospital.
The school was placed in a brief lockdown.
"The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, and John Adams provided sanctuary to the two victims and went into a brief shelter-in after an off-campus incident," a Department of Education spokesperson told CBS2 in a statement. "We are working closely with the NYPD on their ongoing investigation, and offering additional supports to the students and school."
"They held us in our class until everything was situated," a student said.
"We had to cover the windows and stay quiet, turn off the lights," John Perez said. "I was pretty scared because there's a lot of things that can happen. I hope that the guys [are] OK. I hope they catch the people that hurt them."
One of the parents of a freshman said any violence nearby is alarming, especially when it results in a lockdown.
"Really disheartening that my daughter has to experience that," the parent said. "I've spoken to the school. They said we're doing everything they can. They've got metal detectors."
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
