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The fatal shooting, which happened in Mount Vernon on Thursday, March 9 around 10:35 a.m., occurred in the courtyard of the Levister Towers complex at 215 South 9th Avenue, according to city officials.
First responders soon arrived at the complex and found a Mount Vernon youth with an apparent gunshot wound. The student was then given medical aid and taken to Montefiore Mount Vernon emergency room, where he was pronounced dead shortly after.
Mount Vernon City School District Acting Superintendent K. Veronica Smith said that the teen who was shot was a ninth-grade student at Mount Vernon STEAM Academy and had not been in attendance at the school when he was shot.
She added that several schools went into lockout on Thursday "out of an abundance of caution."
"Please be assured that the health, safety, and welfare of our students and staff continues to be our highest priority and we will take all necessary and appropriate steps to ensure that our schools continue to be a safe learning environment for our students," Smith said in a statement on Thursday.
The school district's Crisis Team, which consists of school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other personnel, has been deployed to all of the city's schools to assist students as needed.
Smith said that the district would cooperate with the Mount Vernon PD during their investigation into the shooting.
"We will continue to keep the community apprised to the extent legally permissible and appropriate under the circumstances," Smith said.
The victim's name has not been released.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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