by KYW's Mike DeNardo and Al Novack
Police in the Delaware County community of Chester, Pa. continued their hunt Wednesday for a 16-year-old they identified in an arrest warrant as Thomas Gilbert of West Third Street.
Gilbert is wanted in connection with a shooting outside Chester High School the left one person wounded and led to a "lockdown" at the school Tuesday morning.
Officials say the incident involved two non-students -- one a graduate of the school and the other a dropout.
Chester-Upland superintendent Dr. Gregory Thornton (right) blames gang activity for the altercation that erupted:
"Both (students) had been enrolled (at Chester HS) -- one had graduated and one been withdrawn. One youngster was transported to Crozer (Hospital) -- I believe he was hit in the leg. And police are investigating and trying to pick up the other individual."
Hospital officials said that the victim was in stable condition with a shotgun wound of the thigh as of Wednesday morning .
Yellow crime-scene tape was strung across the steps of the school, which was locked down until about 11am. But many students, including this one, left after the shooting:
"I was in school, but it was a big riot and we got fumbled and roughed up and everything. So I had no other choice but to leave."
And she expects witnesses will not be eager to talk to police:
"If somebody snitched, then somebody's going to go down. So that's why nobody says nothing. Because if you tell, then you're going down."
Extra security was put in place for the rest of Tuesday at the school.
(Top photo: file photo)
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