PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Three people were shot and injured at at least 11 other popular malls in Philadelphia’s entertainment district on Saturday night, authorities said.
Police were patrolling South Street in downtown Philadelphia when they heard several gunshots and witnessed several suspects being shot at in a large crowd at midnight, police inspector DF Pace told a news conference.
An officer shot one of the suspects from about 30 feet away, but it was unclear if the suspect was shot, Pais said.
“You can imagine hundreds of people enjoying South Street the way they do every weekend when filming starts,” Pace said.
He said two men and a woman were killed in the shooting. Their names were not made public by the authorities. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital spokesman Damien Woods said three of the 10 patients who came to the hospital died, six were stable and one was discharged.
Police said two pistols were recovered, including one with a long magazine. No arrests were made.
South Street is famous for its entertainment venues and nightlife with many bars, restaurants, and businesses. A surveillance video of local activity released by WTXF-TV showed crowds roaming the sidewalks and streets, suddenly starting to flee in large numbers as filming began.
Pace said police hope they can collect “surveillance footage” from several companies along the way to try and identify the suspect.
Mayor Jim Kenny called the hunt “devastating beyond”.
“Again, we see the senseless loss of life and injuries caused by another heinous, rude and heinous act of gun violence,” he said in a statement Sunday morning. “My heart goes out to the families of the deceased or injured, to friends, relatives and all those affected by this horrific tragedy.”
Kenny said the rise in gun violence in the city and across the country “not only makes me sad, it also makes me angry.” However, he said the fight would be a “battle on the rise” with no measures to address the “availability and accessibility of guns”.
Eric Walsh told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the scene was “chaotic” as he closed the outdoor seating area on the block. He said he saw a girl in the corner who fell to the ground.
“People walked out on the street in white sneakers with splatters of blood, leather knees and elbows,” Walsh said. “We literally take napkins, read them and give them to people.”
Source: Huffpost
