A man was shot and critically wounded Tuesday afternoon near a high school in Northwest Washington, the D.C. police said.

       The man was taken to a hospital, where he was undergoing surgery, said D.C. police Cmdr. Carlos Heraud.

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       The shooting occurred about 4:15 p.m. in the 1300 block of Upshur Street NW. The site is a stone’s throw from Roosevelt High School, but police indicated that classes had been dismissed and the gunfire didn’t involve the school.

       Police gave no age for the victim, describing him only as a male adult. Earlier, some unofficial accounts indicated that the victim appeared to be a teenager.

       It was not clear what led to the shooting. Heraud indicated that it may have followed a confrontation of some kind between two groups.

       He said one person found in the area of the shooting apparently had been physically assaulted.