DA: Philadelphia Mass Shooting Was Apparently Random

Attacker killed 5, wounded 2
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 4, 2023 1:51 PM CDT
DA: Philadelphia Mass Shooting Was Apparently Random
A child's bike left at the scene of a shooting in Philadelphia, on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.   (Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

The death toll from the mass shooting in Philadelphia Monday night now stands at five, with two children seriously injured—and authorities say the killing appears to have been random. "At first look, it seems to bear the characteristics of a lot of random mass shootings that occur in the United States," Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner tells the New York Times. The victims have been identified as a 15-year-old boy and four men ranging in age from 20 to 59. "This does not appear to be a whole bunch of people who knew each other very well," Krasner says. Police say one victim was chased into his home and shot to death.

The two injured children, a 2-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy, are in stable condition with multiple gunshot wounds to the legs. Police say a 40-year-old suspect with an AR-style rifle, a pistol, a police scanner, and a bulletproof vest was arrested after the shooting in the Kingsessing neighborhood, the AP reports. Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said the man continue to fire as officers chased him. "Thank God our officers responded as quickly as they did," she said. "I can't even describe the level of bravery and courage that was shown."

Krasner says a child's bicycle at the scene is serving as an unofficial memorial, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. "No one is willing, including kids, to come by and pick it up and do anything with it," he says. "That I think gives you a hint of how the doors here are locked. They're double locked, curtains are closed, kids are being told not to go outside because of the horror that went down here yesterday. It's absolutely heartbreaking." (More Philadelphia stories.)

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