Grade-School Grief Counselors Help in Drive-By

Parent of elementary school student may be a victim of a drive-by shooting

Grief counselors will be in place at a Richmond elementary school this morning, as students cope with the news of a drive-by shooting that may have involved a parent.

Sheriff’s deputies say one man is in critical condition after being shot Tuesday afternoon in front of a corner store at 5th Street and Market Avenue, not far from Verde Elementary School.

Another man was also shot, but is expected to survive.

Verde Elementary was locked down for some time after the shooting, before students were released for dismissal at the regular time.

Superintendent Bruce Harter says the West Contra Costa Unified School District is now focusing on helping students work through their grief, saying in an email, “The crisis team will be at Verde … as long as needed to support students and staff there.”

The superintendent says one of the victims may have been the parent of a Verde student, but so far, police have not released the identities of either victim.

The asphalt and sidewalk near the crime scene is now tagged with graffiti, with “R.I.P.” scrawled in spray paint.

The intersection is known as a hot spot for crime.

In November, a 20-year-old man was shot and killed while standing in front of that same store.

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