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WASHINGTON - A fight among youths attending an orientation for the District's summer jobs program precipitated a shooting outside the Columbia Heights Metro Station, ABC 7 News learned.
Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham says about 2,500 youths had gathered at the D.C. Convention center for an orientation Thursday. The meeting got out of hand, and police confiscated a revolver and brass knuckles from youths there, Graham said.
About ten young people boarded Metro at the Convention Center, and a fight broke out on the train, Graham said.
"This is the latest example of gang crew violence -- young people feuding, beefing, shooting -- this is what this appears to be about," said Graham.
According to Third District Police Substation Commander Jacob Kishter, two of the men involved in the argument on Metro exited at Columbia Heights . As they exited the west entrance, one man pulled a gun and shot the other man in the leg, Kishter wrote in an e-mail. A second man, a bystander, was grazed by a bullet, police said.
"Just two shots and we looked out the window and saw some people scattering and came downstairs to see what was happening," said Rachel Singpurwalla, a D.C. resident.
"I'm surprised there was nothing at the orientation that gave them a better idea of how to spend their summer," added Katie Walls, a D.C. resident.
Both were taken to the hospital in stable condition, Kishter wrote.
According to authorities, the gunman is still on the loose Thursday night.
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