ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Two teens were shot in the parking lot of Auburn High School on Tuesday afternoon.

According to Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd, officers were called out at 1:10 p.m. to the school, at 5110 Auburn Street, and found two 17-year-old shooting victims, a male and a female, in a vehicle in the parking lot.

Redd said both are thought to be students at Auburn, but could not confirm. The boy was said to have suffered “serious” injuries, and the girl had “non-life threatening” injuries, according to Redd. Both were taken by ambulance to local hospitals.

Police said they received a description of a suspect vehicle, and officers were able to locate it and three “persons of interest,” who have been taken into custody, Redd said. An officer reportedly observed the suspect vehicle traveling eastbound in the 1200 block of Harrison Avenue. Officers followed the suspect vehicle until it crashed in the 2800 block of Lapey Street. The occupants fled on foot, and one was taken into custody in the 2900 block of Hanson Street while the other two were taken into custody in the area of 2900 Lapey Street.

Auburn High School, Kennedy Middle School, McIntosh Elementary School and Wilson ASPIRE were placed on lockdown as a precaution as police investigated, according to the Rockford School District. The lockdowns have since been lifted.

Police tape could be seen set up around evidence markers around shell casings. Two ambulances were witnessed leaving the parking lot with emergency lights and sirens on.

Redd called for a stop to gun violence after the shooting on a school campus in broad daylight. She believes that this shooting was targeted.

“The gun violence has to stop, it’s ridiculous. I don’t believe this was our shooters…I believe they know exactly who they were going after,” Redd said. “So, once again, not the random gun fire, but intentional targets….You all know who the kids are that are involved with the guns, who have access to guns. They’re your kids, they’re your neighbors, they’re your grandkids, they’re your nieces, they’re your nephews. Stop sitting on your bottoms and doing nothing about it. It’s not OK… It’s not OK.”

Redd also said that two handguns potentially connected to the shooting have been found.

The three juvenile males, aged 15, 16 and 17, were each charged with two counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Weapon, as well as two counts of Attempted Murder.

Rockford Police respond to shooting at Auburn High School on Tuesday, January 4th, 2022
Rockford Police respond to shooting at Auburn High School on Tuesday, January 4th, 2022
Rockford Police respond to shooting at Auburn High School on Tuesday, January 4th, 2022
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