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NILES – A 21-year-old was transported to the hospital following a Niles shooting Tuesday afternoon.

The Berrien County 911 Center received a 911 call around 1:17 p.m. Tuesday regarding a shooting near Chicago and Hillcrest roads in the city of Niles. The call was transferred to the Niles City Police 911 Dispatch Center, and patrol units were dispatched.

According to Niles Police Department Captain Kevin Kosten, a 21-year-old was transported by the Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance Service to a hospital Tuesday afternoon with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the leg.

Kosten said the state of his injuries is unknown at this time.

“Immediately, after the shooting, a vehicle was observed leaving westbound on Chicago Road toward Ballard Elementary,” Kosten said.

Investigators believe this was not a random shooting, and there is no reason to believe the public is in danger. Kosten said investigators will continue to investigate the incident.

Ballard Elementary was placed on a precautionary lockdown after being notified by the school’s police liaison of the incident, according to a Facebook post on the Ballard Elementary School page.

“At 2:37 p.m. today, we were notified by the emergency personnel that it was all clear, and it was safe for Ballard Elementary to be taken out of lockdown,” the post said.

Assisting agencies included Michigan State Police, SMCAS and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department.