Alan Robinson said Monday that just as his 10-year-old son was about to head out to the bus stop, someone fired several shots on Lander Street near South Street, forcing him to immediately seek shelter behind a rock wall on his front porch.
His son was just inside the front door putting on his jacket and backpack.
Robinson waited for police to arrive and then walked his son to the bus. The father and son had a tough chat along the way.
What You Need To Know
- Newburgh Police have responded to six ‘shots fired’ calls in the last week since a Wednesday shooting that injured four students and forced the cancellation of classes
- When the students’ returned Monday, there were shooting incidents near a bus stop and a middle school
- Newburgh schools increased police presence during arrival and dismissal, offered counseling and brought in anti-gun-violence mediators
- Several parents kept their children home from school Monday, still concerned about the potential for violence
“I said, 'see? That’s why I don’t want you up the street playing — because of what happened this morning,'” Robinson said of their talk. “He said, ‘I understand now, daddy.’”
The incident happened just after 7 a.m., and shook parents who were already on edge following last week’s violence. Newburgh police said in a press release they recovered five shell casings from the scene.
Police said last Wednesday, four Newburgh Free Academy students were shot near William Street and Carson Avenue, and there were multiple shooters involved from the Newburgh area.
Classes were canceled at all NFA campuses Thursday and Friday.
Newburgh city officials announced late Friday the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and FBI were in the city to help investigate the shooting.
In a note to students’ families ahead of Monday’s return to class, the NFA co-principals detailed their response to the violence.
They increased police presence during arrival and dismissal offered counseling and brought in anti-gun-violence mediators.
But some neighbors on Lander Street did not think attending school was a good idea after Monday morning's shooting near their children’s bus stop.
Peach Williams said she did not feel comfortable sending her four children back to class Monday, despite increased security at schools. She even picked up one of the children who was already at school.
“They’re upset because I’m not allowing them [to go to school],” Williams said. “They do want to be there with their friends, and I don’t feel safe.”
Parents were shaken up again later Monday when they received a note from the school district informing them that some schools shifted to "hold-in-place" procedures “due to an issue within the community.”
Newburgh Police responded to a shooting on Renwick Street — about two blocks from South Middle School — at 1:20 p.m., according to a press release from the department’s detective division.
It was one of six shots-fired incidents since the Nov. 17 shooting.