A Montgomery County high school student has been fighting for his life for weeks after someone shot him at a gathering in July.
A girl at the party tells News4 Chase Lancaster stepped in front of her to shield her when the gunfire broke out.
When he first arrived at the hospital after being shot, he was so badly injured, doctors didn’t know if he would survive. But Chase is a fighter, his dad, Alex Lancaster says.
“No parent should have to experience this,” he said. “And we’re very fortunate we did not lose him, but it has been very hard for both his mother and I.”
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On the night of August 9, Chase was at a gathering of high school students at the clubhouse at the Urban Green Apartments in Urbana.
A group of shooters wearing masks opened fire, according to witnesses.
The girl had never met Chase before, but he was shielding her with his body when he was hit.
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“He has no, that we know of, enemies at all,” Lancaster said. “Very popular kid, very good kid. His whole life has been changed and shattered upside down.”
Nearly a month later, Chase is still in the hospital and has undergone 14 surgeries. He recently opened his eyes for the first time, and just today was able to suction his own breathing tube.
He’s on the football team at Northwest High School and has dreams of playing in college and the NFL.
“No one should be allowed to do what they did here – destroy a kid’s life, take away his dream or delay it significantly,” Lancaster said.
An online fundraiser for the family has raised more than $21,000.
No arrests have been made yet in the shooting, and the motive is still unclear.
“For those who did this heinous act, I want you to know – they’re going to find you,” Lancaster said. “They’re going to find you, and I hope you get prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
News4 reached out to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. They said they did not have any updates to provide on the investigation.
