17-year-old shot outside Staten Island high school, police say

A 17-year-old was shot just outside of a Staten Island high school during the middle of a school day, according to police.

The teen was near McKee High School on St. Marks Place in the St. George neighborhood just before 1 p.m. when the gunfire rang out, according to police. The victim was shot in the left leg and was taken to the hospital, where he is expected to survive.

The city's Department of Education noted that the shooting did not take place on school grounds, but said it is a "concerning consequence of the proliferation of guns" in New York City.

"Our students deserve to be safe in their neighborhoods, and we are working closely with the school to ensure students have the resources they need, including support from external violence interruption organizations," the DOE said in a statement.

Both McKee High School and nearby Curtis High School were put on lockdown immediately after the shots were fired. According to police, a gun was recovered on Wednesday from a 17-year-old who brought the firearm to Curtis High School that morning; the firearm in that incident was loaded, police said.

"The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, and all students and staff are safe. NYPD safely recovered this item after brave students voiced a concern. All safety procedures were followed, and we are working closely with NYPD regarding follow-up actions," the DOE said in a statement after the gun was found Wednesday.

As for Thursday's shooting, it was not immediately clear what led up to it. No arrests have yet been made in either incident, and investigations are ongoing.