Two students were killed and two other teens were wounded in a shooting Friday afternoon near a high school on Chicago's West Side, authorities said.

Chicago fire officials said the four 16-year-olds were shot near Benito Juarez High School. Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown, speaking at a news conference, confirmed the deaths of two of the victims.

Police spokesman Tom Ahern said the four were shot outside the school. Police and paramedics responded to the shooting shortly before 3 p.m. Friday.

A Chicago Fire Department spokesperson said all four were taken to the same hospital. One boy was pronounced dead on arrival, another boy was in critical condition, and two other teens, a boy and a girl, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Ahern initially said.

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Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez also appeared at the news conference, saying, “We want to first make sure we have the victims in our prayers."

The school system, also known as CPS, released a statement saying in part that “the safety of our school community is our top priority." It added the system's safety and security office was working with school officials and school leaders to gather information on what happened.