Three people were killed and nine others were shot during a gathering in Grays Ferry early Monday morning, police said.
Officers were responding to a call nearby when they heard gunfire on the 1500 block of South Etting Street shortly before 1 a.m.
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A 23-year-old man died after being struck in the chest, investigators said. A 19-year-old man was fatally shot in his head, and a 24-year-old man died after being shot multiple in his back.
Three minors were among those wounded in the gunfire. One of them — a 17-year-old boy — was shot in his left arm. The injuries to the other two children — a 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy — were not immediately known, police said.
A 19-year-old man was shot twice in the head and is in critical condition at University of Pennsylvania Hospital after initially being transferred to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
An investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Police have not released information on the potential motive or about any suspects. 6ABC reported that at least one person with a weapon was taken into custody, but the person’s involvement was not known.
“When you see the size of this block, individuals just shooting randomly into houses, into cars, children out here, I mean, this is coward, wannabe thug stuff,” Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel told reporters at the scene. “It’s hard to understand why individuals engage in this behavior, but as we do in all of our investigations, we will get to the root cause and and we will bring those individuals to justice.”
Police said the other five people wounded in the shooting are:
• An 18-year-old man whose injuries were not immediately known
• A 19-year-old man who was shot in the left arm
• A 21-year-old man who was shot in the buttocks and ankle
• A 23-year-old woman who was shot in left elbow, left thigh and right calf
• A 24-year-old man who was shot in his left arm
Another person, who was injured in a fall while running away from the gunfire, was taken to CHOP for treatment, police said.
This shooting came two days after eight people, ages 25-43, were wounded in a shooting on a balcony outside the 7 Elements lounge at 11th Street and Washington Avenue in South Philly. That shooting stemmed from an argument in which at least two people drew knives. The eight people shot were in stable condition Saturday after being treated at four area hospitals.
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