UPDATE: Reports of Gun Shots Near Burncoat High School

Thursday, May 14, 2015

GoLocalWorcester News Team

This story was updated at 12:45 PM 5/14/2015

Gun shots were reported in the area of Burncoat High School in Worcester shortly after 2 PM on Wednesday. According to an email from Quinsigamond Community College's Acting Police Chief, gun shots were reported near 179 Burncoat Street where the school is located.

A second email from QCC's Police Chief Stephen DiGiovanni stated that the area around the school was secure. Sources have told GoLocalWorcester that the shots were fired away from the school and were more than likely at a residence next to the school. No one has been reported hurt.

According to the Worcester Police Department, officers responded to Park View for a report of shots fired. Upon the officers arrival they met with witnesses. According to one witness, a white Honda was seen pulling into the driveway of a home on Park View. Two white males exited the Honda. One male was approximately 6’0” tall with an average build wearing a baseball hat and a white tee shirt, while the other male was approximately 5’8” tall with a heavy build wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt. Police were told that both males were not from the neighborhood.

At this time a third male drove up to the front of the house that the two males were at. The male was driving a white vehicle. The witness observed a black male exit the white vehicle. This male was approximately 5’8”, with a heavy build, wearing a red tee shirt.

The three men began to argue which quickly escalated into a physical altercation. During the altercation shots were fired. After the shots, the two vehicles sped off in opposite directions.

WPD investigators arrived at the scene and processed evidence and conducted interviews. It appears that all three men were not from the area and that the location for this incident was a random act.

This investigation is ongoing, if anyone has information about this incident they can send an anonymous text to 274637 TIPWPD + your message or send an anonymous web based message at worcesterma.gov/police. Calls can also be made to the Worcester Police Detective Bureau at (508) 799-8651.

This is the third incident involving a gun that has happened at the school or near the school in the past few weeks. On April 17, the Friday before school vacation, a gun and ammunition was found in a student's locker. Less than two weeks later, two individuals were arrested across the street from Burncoat with a loaded handgun.

More details will follow on Wednesday's events as they become known.

Here are the emails from QCC's Chief Stephen DiGiovanni: