Mark Greene, 18-Year-Old Student, Shot Outside Queens High School

18-year-old student Mark Greene died after being shot several times on Thursday, November 10th. The shooting occurred soon after 3 p.m., near North Queens Community High School. According to NBC New York, Greene, a student at the school, was rushed to Jamaica Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.

According to witnesses who were in the area when the shooting took place, Greene was shot six or seven times while he was standing at a bus stop. The suspect who carried out the shooting fled the crime scene on foot.

“He fell forward. It was like six, seven shots,” Rocio Hernandez, a senior at North Queens Community told The Post. “He fell right in front of the bus stop.”

“It happened so fast,” she said. “I ran back to the school. Everyone just ran back.”

Ricardo Espinoza was in the vicinity of the shooting when it occurred. “I saw the guy with the gun. He was a kid, like 15,” said Espinoza. “He put the gun in the pocket of his sweatshirt and ran. He passed me right there, so I just covered my kids and put my kids in the car. He ran all the way down.” Espinoza said that he spoke to Greene and told him not to fall asleep.

Authorities recovered the gun used in the shooting of Greene at the scene of the crime. On Friday, police arrested suspect Michael Raly, 18, for criminal possession of a weapon. Authorities are still searching for the second person of interest in this shooting. No one has been charged for Greene’s murder at the time of reporting.

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The shooting meant that the school had to be placed under a hard lockdown. The incident occurred in Kew Gardens, an area that many residents call a safe area. Joe McPolin alleges that the school contributes to the occurrence of numerous negative situations in the area. “That school is a problem to the neighborhood. We live in a really good neighborhood and it’s very secure, but since they put that school here, things just got horrible. Every Thursday and Friday, there’s always fights out here,” McPolin said.

Schools Chancellor David Banks released a statement mourning the loss of a student. “Words cannot express the grief the family and friends of this young man is feeling tonight, and I am grieving alongside them as they honor his memory. I am also heartbroken for the city of New York, who lost a bright young soul today to a senseless act of gun violence. I’m grateful to the community members who are coming together at this difficult time, and we will be increasing security and supports at this school and will be making available emotional support to any student or staff member who needs it.”

The New York City School Safety Coalition issued a statement saying, “Our heartfelt, deepest condolences go out to the parents and family of the Queens high school student shot and killed yesterday outside his school.

Parents send their child to school and expect them to return home safely. This tragedy is every parent’s nightmare. We lift the family up in our prayers.”