Teen shot near Dartmouth College in Hanover is in stable condition

HANOVER, N.H. – A 22-year-old Lebanon, N.H. man was arrested by police Wednesday, July 12, 2009

Gage Young, 22, was arrested shortly before 3 p.m. by Hanover Police Chief Charlie Dennis said in a statement. Young is a second-degree badault, which is a felony, according to the statement.

"Our preliminary investigation has revealed Mr. Young was traveling to the city of Hanover when he was discharged to the 19-year-old victim, striking him and causing serious bodily injury," Dennis said in the statement.

The two men did not know each other, Dennis told the Globe in an e-mail. It was not clear whether the teen was an intended target.

The teen was taken by ambulance to Dartmouth-Hitchbad Medical Center in Lebanon, where he remains in stable condition, Dennis said.

Earlier in the day, Dennis called the shooting an isolated event and said:

The victim was shot just before 10 pm on the sidewalk outside the christian science reading room at 1 school St., college officials said a statement posted on the school's website early Saturday.

The reading room, which is part of the First Church of Christ Scientist, is about a block from downtown Hanover, and about a block-and-a-half from the college.

The victim is not affiliated with Dartmouth, the statement said.

"The campus community is sheltered in place by the police," the statement said.

Automated alerts were sent to students, faculty, and staff by phone and e-mail shortly after 10 p.m., the statement said. The shelter notification was lifted on Saturday at 12:46 a.m.

According to Dennis, 911 call reporting was possible at the Hanover Communication Center at approximately 9:45 pm. Hanover police, fire, and EMS staff responded to the scene.

When they arrived, the victim was found on the ground, the statement said. EMS staff treated him at the scene before he was taken to the hospital.

Hanover police aske anyone who was in the area of ​​School, West Wheelock, and Allen streets who heard about it, contact them at 603-643-2222, Dennis said in the statement.

The shooting led to a "large police response" from departments in the region and from New Hampshire State Police, the statement said.

"Police investigated several reports of gunfire-like sounds in other locations in Hanover," the statement said.

Ivy League school, nestled in a bucolic Granite State town. But those who spoke to the Globe grew up in an era of school shoots and campus lockdowns, and Friday night's shelter-in-place order had a familiar ring.

"Honestly, I've been a bit desensitized, and I can not be surprised and shocked every time this happens," said 19-year-old Nicholas Zhang, of Cupertino, Calif.

Zhang sheltered in his sleep with friends Friday night, learning about the shooting through a series of emails and text messages from the college. He said he remembered his lockdowns at his school as a precaution after receiving reports of bomb threats and people carrying guns.

Friday's incident was only the latest in a series of emergencies at school, he said.

"You just start to accept it as part of reality in America," he said.

Students seeking support can contact campus safety and security at 603-646-4000 to speak with a dean or counselor on call, according to school officials.

Danny McDonald and Bryan Marquard of the Globe Staff contributed to this report. John Hilliard can be reached at [email protected].