17-year-old shot near Carver High School in West Baltimore

(WBFF) — School buses were still passing by in west Baltimore when a 17-year-old was shot Tuesday afternoon just blocks from Carver High School, prompting detectives and forensic technicians to comb the area for evidence.

Police said the male victim was shot in the leg and taken to Shock Trauma. His injuries were considered non-life-threatening. It was not clear whether the victim is a student at Carver High School.

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A resident in the area reacted to the victim’s age, saying, “The age, yeah, that’s surprising.” The resident also raised concerns about young people having access to guns, saying, “Now I’m starting to think that it’s just kind of, it’s kind of easy to get ’em now.”

The shooting came amid other recent cases of gun violence involving juveniles in Baltimore. Last month, a 15-year-old girl was shot and killed in West Baltimore. That same night, a 16-year-old boy was shot in Northwest Baltimore. In January, a 15-year-old was left in critical condition after a triple shooting in South Baltimore.

Another resident described the violence as “ridiculous… I mean, it’s vicious, it’s a vicious situation.”

That resident said he works to keep his younger brother from becoming a victim, explaining, “He was active in the streets, you know, so I’m just trying to keep him closer to me, show him a different route, you know, and what a big brother is supposed to be.”

As police search for whoever shot the 17-year-old, the resident urged families to step in, saying, “They need a bunch of guidance. If they got family that can reach out and keep ’em close, that’s the best call right now.”

Western District detectives are investigating and asked anyone with information to call Metro Crime Stoppers.