The early days of June bore witness to another shooting incident in Philadelphia that took the lives of three people with eleven others wounded after.
Last Saturday night on Philadelphia’s South Street, the usual scene was interrupted when multiple shooters opened fire. Officers in the area heard the gunshots and observed “several active shooters shooting into the crowd, according to Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw spoke at a news conference on Sunday, saying that the shooting started at roughly 11:31 p.m. She noted that officers stationed on South street “observed several civilians suffering from gunshot wounds, lying on the sidewalk and in the street.” The officers present rendered first aid to the injured victims.
Outlaw noted that five guns were used after a possible physical altercation. She speculates that one gunman was likely shot and wounded but managed to slip away from the police. Another gunman involved in the altercation is likely among the three people killed. Outlaw believes that the other two victims were innocent bystanders.
Two handguns were recovered at the scene, but no arrests were made that connected with the shooting.
“At this point, we don’t know whether or not the altercation that took place was between a group of individuals or if this was tied to another group or affiliation,” said the commissioner. She also added that one officer who saw a man firing a handgun into a large crow drew his weapon, firing several times in the direction of an unknown man, possibly striking him.
“The unknown man dropped his handgun on the sidewalk and ran southbound on 600 American street,” she revealed. “The male was then lost in the area.”
The investigation is currently in its early stages, and the incident was one of several in the area that night. However, the police are still uncertain if they were connected.
“Yesterday was a dark day for Philadelphia,” Outlaw said. “And while many of us were out enjoying the beautiful day in the city, a horrendous and unthinkable act happened in a very popular local and tourist hangout.”
The police are collaborating with state and federal authorities to complete the investigation. The FBI also assists them with resources. In addition, the police are offering a $20,000 reward for information that could lead to an arrest and urged witnesses to come forward.
