What happened in Theodore Roosevelt High School? Teenage boy fatally shot in altercation outside school

A 17-year-old teen boy was shot to death while he was walking near Northwest Washington, D.C.'s Theodore Roosevelt High School. As per the authorities, the incident occurred on Wednesday, May 17, and the boy has been identified as Jefferson Perez.

Police said that Perez was strolling on a sidewalk on Iowa Avenue before 2:30 p.m. when someone from inside a green car pulled up and opened fire soon.

The boy reportedly collapsed in the school parking lot, where paramedics administered CPR before transporting him to the hospital in critical condition. A few hours time later, he passed away at the hospital.

While speaking at a press conference, authorities revealed that there was a physical altercation in the parking lot of Theodore Roosevelt High School and they found a firearm there. However, as of writing it is not clear if it is the same gun that was used to kill the boy.

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Police could not capture the whole shooting incident that occurred outside Theodore Roosevelt High School

While speaking at a press conference addressing the unfortunate incident, Assistant Chief Morgan Kane said:

"It appears that there was some sort of confrontation, and we don't know in this moment what led up to it, but we do know that we have a gun recovered on the scene."

According to NBC Washington, witnesses heard five gunshots but the police said that Perez was only shot once.

The police also said that the footage they are reviewing did not capture the whole incident.

"What makes it difficult is that there is a bit of an obstruction, so we don’t have any information in this moment to indicate there was a shootout that occurred simultaneously."

Jefferson Perez was a high school student at Theodore Roosevelt High School and had attended the institution the day he was shot. Authorities said they are investigating what happened after he left the premises.

Mayor Muriel Bowser arrived on the scene and asked the D.C. Council to act quickly on her new ideas to curb the city's rising crime rate. She said:

“I hope that they deal with them urgently, and that means not waiting until the summer is over to have hearings and move legislation."

In a statement issued to NBC Washington, Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, the Washington Teachers’ Union President addressed the unfortunate incident and added that schools should be a safe place for students and staff members.

"This episode emphasizes the need for community schools, which provide much-needed wraparound services for students and their families, especially mental health services, counseling and mentoring. While the city is dealing with the proliferation of crime, DCPS must make sure that our kids get the academic, social and emotional help they need to thrive."

Authorities believe that students at Theodore Roosevelt High School were ever in danger. Moreover, the school went back to functioning on May 18, the very next day, with the students having counseling resources. They will also have the support team from DCPS' mental health for the students and staff members.

According to D.C. Public Schools, lockdowns were in effect at Theodore Roosevelt High School, Dorothy I. Height Elementary School, and MacFarland Middle School until dismissal. Powell Elementary School was placed on "alert status."