A New York City teacher was hit by a stray bullet while preparing his classroom on the eve of the first day of school, according to police.
The bullet entered the sixth-floor classroom through a window and struck the 33-year-old teacher’s right hand, authorities reported.
The incident took place shortly before noon on Wednesday at a Bronx middle school, M.S. 391, the NYC Department of Education confirmed.
Police believe the bullet was fired from a distant elevated location, though the school itself was not the intended target, according to NYPD Deputy Chief Keiyon Ramsey.
The teacher sustained a graze wound to his right palm and was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. He has since been released, Ramsey added.
Investigators recovered one bullet from the classroom, which is currently being analyzed. Deputy Chief Louis Deceglie from the NYPD’s Detective Bureau in the Bronx stated that officers are searching surrounding rooftops for ballistic and video evidence.
Fortunately, no students were present during the incident, as the school year was set to begin the following day, and no children were near the building, Ramsey said.
“This shocking act of violence is deeply disturbing,” the Department of Education said in a statement. “NYPD responded swiftly, and we are ensuring additional support for the school community.”
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As a precaution, extra school safety agents and police officers will be stationed at the middle school for the first day of classes, Ramsey announced.
