Father's Day weekend plagued by gun violence across Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA - The surge of gun violence in Philadelphia continued over Father's Day weekend with more than a dozen shootings including three triple shootings that injured a 3-year-old and a young teen.
Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department on Saturday afternoon were called to the 1600 block of North 55th Street for reports of gunfire.
Investigators said two 23-year-old men and a 3-year-old boy arrived at Penn Presbyterian Hospital suffering from gunshot wounds. The adult victims died a short time after their arrival, police said.
The 3-year-old child was shot three times in the leg and is expected to survive.
Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Naish told reporters that gunfire erupted when two unidentified men exited a white vehicle and began shooting. The suspects returned to their car and drove away, Naish said.
In a statement emailed to FOX 29, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw called the shooting "disturbing and sickening."
"We should never tolerate violence against our children, as all of us - not just the police - are charged with the responsibility to keep them safe from danger and harm," Outlaw said in part.
Hours later and just blocks away, police said three more people were injured by gunfire during a shooting at a graduation party.
According to police, a 21-year-old man was shot twice in the back and a 36-year-old woman was hit in the leg on the 5900 block of Lansdowne Avenue around 7:30 p.m.
Both victims were driven to Lankenau Hospital and are expected to survive, according to police.
A third victim, an 18-year-old man, was taken to the hospital by police with a graze wound to the back of the head. He is also expected to survive.
Police said one person was taken into custody, but no weapon was found.
Authorities said a 14-year-old is hurt and two adults are in critical condition following a shooting on Father's Day.
Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 2600 block of West Seltzer Street just after 7 p.m. for reports of gunfire.
Police say an 18-year-old man was shot twice in the chest and a 35-year-old was hit in the back. Officer drove both victims to Temple University in critical condition.
A 14-year-old boy later arrived at Temple Hospital suffering from two gunshot wounds to the thigh, according to police. He was also placed in critical condition.
Between Saturday and Sunday police responded to more than a dozen shootings across Philadelphia, including a deadly double shooting in North Philadelphia.
According to the latest data provided by the Philadelphia Police Department, there have been 255 homicides so far this year. That figure is 36% higher from June of 2020, a year that saw a historic number of murders in Philadelphia.
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