Teen wounded in sniper shooting released from hospital

BOWIE, Md. -- The 13-year-old boy critically wounded by the Washington-area sniper as he walked to school more than a month ago has been released from the hospital.

The boy, whose name has not been released because he is a considered a witness to a crime, left Children's Hospital in Washington on Monday, said hospital spokeswoman Marissa Garis. She would not say where he went or if any follow-up treatment would be needed.

The teen was hit by a single bullet in front of Benjamin Tasker Middle School in Bowie and suffered chest and abdominal wounds. The bullet damaged his spleen, stomach, pancreas, lung and diaphragm, parts of which had to be removed.

The bullet was linked to sniper suspects John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo. Authorities believe they are responsible for the three-week string of shootings in the Washington area that left 10 people dead and three wounded.

Businesses in Bowie have been collecting donations to help cover the boy's medical costs.

The last sniper victim still hospitalized, a man wounded Oct. 19 outside an Ashland, Va., steakhouse, was in stable condition Tuesday and was continuing to improve, a hospital spokeswoman said.