“It was just a sea of humanity,” a witness said of the mad rush after shots were fired in the stands during a semi-final football game Friday night at Pleasantville High School.
A 10-year-old boy and 27-year-old man were struck in the bleachers on the home side as Pleasantville hosted Camden. A 15-year-old was also grazed.
The boy and man were in critical condition, police said. The teen was treated and released.
Retired Pleasantville Fire Department Battalion Chief Neal Loch was sitting on the far end of the bleachers and ran toward the victims.
The former EMT applied pressure to the wounded boy, who had been struck in the neck, he said.
Neither victim has been named.
Members of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, including the head of county detectives were on scene by about 10 p.m.
Major Crimes usually takes lead in homicide cases.
“This is really heart wrenching,” Pleasantville Mayor Jesse Tweedle said. "You can't even describe it."
The city had been on a high recently and the stands were packed as residents cheered on the team that is making a championship run.
"I've never seen so many people at a Pleasantville game," said Jonathan Diego who was there with Koch.
He said people were running and screaming, with parents carrying small children, doubled over to protect them.
It was about six minutes into the third quarter when the shots rang out.
Witnesses described about 10 shots.
Camden was not involved, Riggin said.
There were people being questioned, but no one was in custody or had been charged. A weapon was recovered, Riggin said.
Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner came to the scene to get an update and to address the media.
"This is a tragic situation to say the least," he said.
He referenced the recent shooting in Santa Clarita, Calif., where a 16-year-old boy killed two students before mortally wounding himself.
"It has hit home here in Pleasantville, New Jersey, and it is very disturbing to say the least," Tyner said.
