Philadelphia shooting: 4 juveniles charged as adults in Eid shooting that injured 3, officials announce
PHILADELPHIA - Investigators in Philadelphia released new details Friday into a shooting at an end of Ramadan celebration earlier this month that injured three people.
District Attorney Larry Kranser along with Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and Mayor Cherelle Parker led a news conference at the Philadelphia Masjid on the 4700 block of Wyalusing Avenue where the shooting erupted on Apr. 10.
Five people were taken into custody in connection with the shooting and, of the five, four are juveniles. Officials stated all four juveniles are being charged as adults.
Officials went on to say despite five or six guns recovered in the investigation, only 13 of the 33 shots fired came from the guns they confiscated and, according to authorities, 20 shots were fired by guns and shooters that are still out there.
DA Krasner said, "We’re not just dedicated to the first five, we are dedicated to making sure anyone and everyone else involved is arrested."
The annual Eid al-Fitr event, held outside a large mosque in the city's Parkside neighborhood, came to a sudden end when some 30 shots rang out at about 2:30 p.m., Philadelphia police said.
Investigators believe two rival crowds who they said were not associated with the Eid al-Fitr celebration began firing at each other in broad daylight. Security video shows the panicked crowd running for safety, some ducking behind a parked car for cover.
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Philadelphia Eid shooting: Woman describes moment relative was shot, ensuing chaos
A woman at the Eid event describes the chaos surrounding the shooting and the terrifying realization she can't find her son, while another family member was shot.
Five people were later taken into custody, including a 15-year-old boy who sustained leg and shoulder wounds when he was shot by police and was taken to the hospital by an officer, authorities said. Police said he was carrying a gun.
A 22-year-old man who was shot in the stomach was also taken to the hospital by police and placed in stable condition. A 15-year-old who authorities say was hit in the ring finger was brought to the hospital by members of Philadelphia's fire department.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel confirmed at a news conference that a police vehicle responding to the 911 calls for help struck a 15-year-old girl who was fleeing the park. He said the child suffered a leg injury.
Kahbir Oglesby-Hicks, 21, was later identified by police as one of the five people in custody on weapons charges and evading arrest. The other four people arrested are a 16-year-old boy and girl, and two 15-year-olds, including the boy who was shot by police. These four are being charged as adults.
Police said the officer who shot the teen was placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the Internal Affairs and Officer-Involved Shooting Investigations.
"It’s sad you can’t even have a celebration without worrying about getting shot," said Najah Bey, who said the gunfire injured her relative.
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Abdallah Legh, General Manager of Girard Meat Market, said as many as 30 kids sought shelter inside his store when the gunfire erupted.
Mayor Cherelle Parker called what happened "sacreligious act of gun violence" in a series of tweets that condemned the shooting. She threw her support behind the city's Muslim community, and vowed to "restore balance and light to our communities."
The Associated Press contributed to this report