A shooting in Philadelphia left at least three people dead and 11 others injured, local authorities said.
Police officers saw multiple gunmen shooting into a crowd after hearing gunshots just before midnight on Saturday evening. At least three of the victims, two men and a woman, had died from their injuries as of Sunday morning, according to NBC Philadelphia.
“There were hundreds of individuals just enjoying South Street, as they do every weekend, when this shooting broke out,” said Philadelphia Police Inspector D. F. Pace.
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An officer who shot at a gunmen was “within 10 to 15 yards of the shooter, watching this person shoot into the crowd” when he decided to engage, Pace said. It is not clear if the suspect, who dropped his weapon and fled, had been injured by the officer’s returning fire.
Police recovered two guns from the scene, with one of them having an extended magazine, Pace said. Law enforcement are still searching for the gunmen.
A separate shooting that took place a couple blocks away started around 11 p.m., and officers found 13 bullet casings at the scene. Investigators are examining whether there is a connection between the two shootings, according to Pace.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney condemned the shooting and encouraged people to advocate for stronger laws to “keep guns out of the hands of violent individuals.”
“My heart is with the family, friends, and loved ones of those lost or injured, and with everyone impacted by this terrible tragedy,” Kenney said in a statement released Sunday morning. “This is a complex, ongoing investigation and we will release more information about this incident as information becomes available.”
The events that transpired last evening on South Street are beyond devastating. Once again, we see lives lost and people injured in yet another horrendous, brazen and despicable act of gun violence.
— Jim #VaxUpPhilly Kenney (@PhillyMayor) June 5, 2022
The violence in Philly is the latest in a string of shootings across the United States. Other recent shootings took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Uvalde, Texas; and Buffalo, New York. The shootings have prompted a new push for gun reform by the White House and Congress.
Anyone with information regarding the Philadelphia shooting has been asked by Kenney to report it to 215-686-TIPS.
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The Philadelphia Police Department has not yet responded to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
