Drive-by shooting kills teen riding scooter blocks from Philadelphia home: police

PHILADELPHIA - Gunfire erupted from a vehicle killing a 19-year-old as Philadelphia police search for the vehicle and suspects involved.

Close friend of the victim, Carmen Gutierrez, cried, "He was such a good person. He never did nothing to nobody!"

Another friend comforted Gutierrez as she stood on the sidewalk where her close friend lost his life.

The victim, 19-year-old Hashim Gardner, was on a scooter, just around the corner from his home and his friend was walking alongside him.

Someone drove by and opened fire out of the window of the passing vehicle.

Police say they rushed Gardner to the hospital, but he did not survive. His friend was uninjured.

"He always rode his scooter. He was always smiling," Gutierrez described Gardner. "He just wanted to go to the park and play basketball with his friends all the time and he never bothered anyone or anything."

Neighbor Paul Mauro’s home was hit by bullets. He described the chaos, "It was loud, yeah, I mean case the window was open, sitting right there. It just went downhill from there. I felt bad for the other kid he was with, too, because he was standing there. Didn’t know what to do because his friend just passed away."

The shooting happened just after 10:15 Wednesday night, on Levick Street, near Ditman Street.

Police say at least 11 shots were fired.

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Mauro says, along with the sound of gunshots, a bullet came a through his wall, across his apartment, landing just feet from where he was sitting. "I’m there, literally, right by the end of the window. There’s a chair here and if you were sitting in this chair, it would’ve gone directly through your head. Yeah. It’s scary thoughts."

"And do you sit in the chair?" FOX 29's Kelly Rule asked.

"I do,’" Mauro said. "I have friends over all the time. If I had anybody over that night, it would’ve been a lot worse."

Law enforcement sources tell FOX 29 video from a nearby convenience store shows Gardner and his friend inside moments before the shooting. They do not know if he was the intended target.

Mauro says Philadelphia has always been home, "I think it’s time to get out of the area. Unfortunately, I'm working towards it."

Gutierrez added, "He was just a good person and he didn't deserve none of this at all."

Gardner was one of four victims struck by gunfire during a violent night in Philadelphia that killed three people and critically injured another.