THREE people died and at least twelve more were injured after ‘multiple gunmen’ fired bullets into a downtown crowd.
Chaos erupted as shots were fired on South Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania just before midnight on Saturday.
Police rushed to the scene and said they saw several shooters firing into a crowd of people on South Street, WPVI reports.
One shooter reportedly fled the area while two guns were recovered from the scene, police said.
No arrests have been made. No suspects have been identified.
Philly’s mass shooting is the latest in a string of gun violence across the country.
Just hours before, one woman died while eight more people were injured after a gunman opened fire into a crowd of around 100 people in Phoenix, Arizona.
Read our Philadelphia shooting live blog for the latest updates…
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Another shooting before the mass shooting
Police said that there was a shooting incident on Bainbridge Street less than an hour before the deathly shooting on South Street.
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‘Not normal’
“People should not be afraid to go out,” Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.
“What happened last night was an atrocity, but it’s not something that we see all the time.
“This is not something that’s normal in the city of Philadelphia.”
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At least five different guns
Officer Frank Valore said that at least five different guns were at the scene, but only two were recovered.
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More officers scheduled because of city events
“There were several events going on in the city at one time,” Outlaw said, speaking of a local concert.
“Our presence was heightened because of multiple events taking place in the city, but just because of the anticipation of many people out and about.”
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Age range of wounded victims
Police said the ages of the victims range from 17 to 69 years old.
Four of the injured were 17.
The others included two 18-year-olds, two 20-year-olds, a 23-year-old, a 43-year-old, and a 69-year-old.
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More officers than usual on Saturday
Answering a question from a reporter, the police commissioner said that it’s unknown if the shooting was between individuals or if it was brought on by feuding groups.
“We did beef up our presence there,” she said of the downtown area.
“We’re talking about hundreds and hundreds of people.”
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All three of the victims were taken to hospitals
Police said that the three confirmed dead include one thought to be a gunman and two possible bystanders.
“We are devastated,” Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.
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Suspect shot
Outlaw said that police believe that an officer shot one of the gunmen.
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Updated victim numbers reported
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw says that 3 are dead and 12 victims wounded.
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Police to provide update
Philadelphia police will hold a press conference at 2pm local time to provide updates about the mass shooting.
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Victims identified
The three victims killed in the South Street shooting are Kristopher Minners, 22; Alexis Quinn, 27; and Gregory “Japan” Jackson, 34, according to State Senator Vincent J. Hughes per the New York Times.
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Reports of increasing violence in Philadelphia
Fox News correspondent Alexandria Hoff tweeted that South Street is a “traditionally festive strip” in the city’s historic district.
She reports that over the years, the area has felt more dangerous.
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Video captures gunfire
In the video confirmed by the Inquirer, over two dozen gunshots ring out in quick succession.
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Police are trying to identify suspects
Inspector Pace said that Philadelphia police expect to gather “a lot” of video footage from businesses along South Street in order to identify suspects.
Mayor Kenney urged anyone with information to report it to 215-686-TIPS. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
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Video footage shared online
Cellphone footage shared online showed dozens of police officers at the scene.
There appeared to be a trail of blood “snaking along a sidewalk” in front of a Rita’s Ice shop, Inquirer journalist Max Marin revealed.
In one video, two men appear to exchange words with a third man in front of the shop before a fistfight begins and a gun is drawn, the Inquirer reports after seeing the video.
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Mayor says shooting is ‘beyond devastating’
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney released a statement Sunday morning calling the shooting a “heinous crime.”
“Once again, we see lives senselessly lost and those injured in yet another horrendous, brazen and despicable act of gun violence,” the statement says.
“My heart is with the family, friends, loved ones of those lost or injured, and with everyone impacted by this terrible tragedy.”
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South Street is known for night life
The popular Philadelphia street is known for night life with many restaurants, venues, and bars.
Inspector Pace said that: “You can imagine there were hundreds of individuals just enjoying South Street, as they do every single weekend, when this shooting broke out.”
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Chaos erupted at the scene
Eric Walsh, who was closing an O’Neal’s bar when the shooting erupted, told the Inquirer: “People were coming off the street with blood splatters on white sneakers and skinned knees and elbows.
“We literally just were balling up napkins and wetting them and handing them to people.”
Walsh described the scene as “chaos.”
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Handguns recovered
Two handguns were recovered at the scene, police reported.
One of the handguns had an extended magazine.
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No arrests have been made
Police have not identified potential suspects.
Police Inspector D F Pace said that an officer shot at one of the gunmen from about 30 feet away, but it’s not known if the shooter was hit.
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Victims taken to multiple hospitals
Seven victims were taken to Thomas Jefferson hospital in the city where one was pronounced dead by medics.
Four of the people admitted are said to be in a stable condition, a hospital spokesperson told ABC News.
The three other victims were taken to the Presbyterian Medical Center where one was pronounced dead.
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What happened on South Street?
Multiple gunmen fired into a South Street crowd in Philadelphia on Saturday just before midnight, police reported.
At least three people died and 11 have been injured, reports say.
