Police: Bullet hole at Mattapan school from prior shooting

MATTAPAN, Mass. -- A sixth grade teacher discovered a shattered second-floor window at a school in Mattapan on Wednesday and called 911.

Police responded to the Young Achievers Science and Mathematics Pilot School for reports that shots were fired.

“I got an automated call saying that there was a shooting at the school, that a bullet went through the window around 11 this morning, so I just ran up to the school and got my daughter,” said Kimberly Roberts, a parent.

The principal said shots were never actually heard.

“We thought it was unusual that we hadn’t really heard the shots. She heard the glass shatter, and she got up and looked behind the shade and noticed that it was shattered. There was definitely a hole there and a hole in the shade,” said Jinny Chalmers, the school principal.

Authorities said there were no students in the classroom, and until investigators understood the situation, the school was in “safe mode.”

Officers were posted in the front or the back of the school, and Police Commissioner Ed Davis was also on scene.

“All they said was that we’re in code red. No kids could come out the classroom without an assistant,” said Katelyn Roberts, a student.

Investigators are linking the bullet hole to a shooting last Thursday, which happened at 12:30 a.m. across the street from the school.

“When we backtracked, we found that a shooting incident occurred last week, and this is probably the damage from that,” said Dep. Supt. William Geross of the Boston Police Department. “This should not really be tolerated. Somebody knows something in the neighborhood, so please help us out.”

The glass around the bullet hole shattered on Wednesday because of the strong winds.

The bullet has still not been recovered.

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