Teen shot outside Manchester elementary school playground

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A 13-year-old is in critical condition after being shot outside an elementary school in Manchester, police said.

A 14-year-old opened fire in an intersection near the Westwood Elementary playground on Friday night, district attorney Craig Northcott said. The teen has been detained, but no charges have officially been filed.

Parents, including Nicole Chavis, said they are concerned for their student’s safety after the shooting. She used to let her two sons walk down the block to use the playground’s basketball court after school, but now she said she no longer feels they will be safe.

“We’ve lived here for three years and never heard anything go on,” Chavis said. “But it’s more of you don’t know if your kids are down there playing if there is someone who has access to weapons or not, or if they are going to be ok just playing at the school.”

Her neighbor, Charles Cooley, saw police swarm to the scene with blue flashing lights and fly the 13-year-old victim to the hospital.

“We’re just lucky it happened at night and not during the daytime, so the kids weren’t in school,” Cooley said. “It don’t surprise me. It don’t even surprise me that kids are doing it. Kids are getting these guns now, and there is no telling what they will do.”

Chavis said she wants to see more security added around the playground so there is more than a fence protecting children. She said she would also like to see new rules limiting its use after dark and by people who do not attend the school.

Manchester City School District director of schools, Dr. Joey Vaughn, said the incident did not happen on school property, and no students or staff were in danger.

“The safety of our students, faculty and staff continue to be a focus of Manchester City Schools, and safety protocols are in place,” Vaughn said. “We appreciate the strong relationship our school community has with local law enforcement.”

Copyright 2023 WSMV. All rights reserved.