(UnitedHeadlines.com) -An early morning shooting in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 21 left three people dead and six others injured.
According to the Philadelphia Police Department, there were more than 100 people at the block party in the Carroll Park neighborhood where the “exchange of gunfire between multiple parties” occurred.
Police stated that one weapon, along with more than 25 shell casings from multiple calibers of weapons, were found at the scene, adding that it appears as though there was more than one shooter.
A 33-year-old man was killed at the scene, while a 23-year-old man and a 29-year-old man both died at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Five men, between 27 and 30 years old, and a 26-year-old woman were hospitalized and are in stable condition. The victims were transported to the hospital by police and neighbors.
Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace stated that the man killed at the scene appeared to have been the target as he was shot at close range.
Police were seeking any camera footage of the area as part of the investigation. In a Facebook post, police called the shooting “senseless.”
According to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, a block party permit had not been issued for the large gathering, adding, “It is never OK to put an entire neighborhood at risk.” Parker stated that the people would be “held accountable for these actions.”
Pastor Carl Day, who has worked for over a decade to curb gun violence in Philadelphia, stated that the “total neglect for human life” needs to stop. He said he would be holding a meeting about ways to reduce gun violence in the city, adding there are “better ways to handle your problems” than violence.
According to police data, 147 people have been killed in Philadelphia so far in 2024, the lowest year-to-date homicide total since 2016. When compared to the same time in 2023, the number represents a 37 percent decrease.
Copyright 2024, UnitedHeadlines.com
