16–year–old bystander shot on apartment playground

Gunshots fired at Gardenia Gardens Apartments on Sunday night landed a 16-year-old bystander in the hospital.

Throughout the evening, Gainesville Police reported to multiple calls of crowds forming and dispersing on the playground area of the complex at 1700 N.E. Eighth Ave., a GPD report stated.

When the crowd formed for the third time and became violent, gunshots were fired, and a 16-year-old boy was taken to the hospital with a bullet in his leg, the report said.

No others were injured, GPD spokeswoman Summer Hallett said.

Police and witnesses estimated the crowds to be between 20 and 50 people, the report said.

Police are investigating who fired the gunshots and what the crowds were doing on the playground, Hallett wrote in an e-mail.