Man shot in front of elementary school

Jen Lawson

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2002 | 9:36 a.m.

Robert Lunt Elementary School went into lockdown mode Monday morning after a man suffering from a gunshot wound collapsed in front of the school.

The nonfatal shooting happened at Harris Avenue and McKnight Street, across the street from the school, about 8:20 a.m. No children or school employees were hurt, Darnell Couthen, a school police officer, said.

Metro Police Officer Jose Montoya said the 50-year-old victim was shot in the stomach with a .22-caliber handgun, then staggered across Harris Avenue.

The school, along with Arturo Cambeiro Elementary School next door, went into lockdown mode, meaning no one was allowed inside, Couthen said. Children, teachers and other school employees were kept in the multi-purpose room for about an hour.

Parents who happened to be inside the school building were also locked in. Principal Elena Villa said no more than 15 parents chose to take their children home. Normal operations resumed after an hour.

"The students didn't ask a lot of questions. They didn't seem to be overly concerned about it," Couthen said. "They weren't traumatized."

Detectives are trying to determine who shot the man, and why. The man has been "extremely uncooperative," Montoya said.

The victim, whose name wasn't released, was taken to University Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.

"We have no motive, no idea as to why this went down," Montoya said.