At least five people were killed and two minor children were injured by gunfire in a Philadelphia neighborhood, when a man wearing body armor opened fire on Monday. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw told reporters during a press conference that the crime scene encompasses a two-by-four-block area, and at least 50 shots were fired in the incident, with multiple vehicles struck.
Outlaw said the suspect, described as a Black man in his 40s, was taken into custody after being cornered by police in an alley. He was wearing a bulletproof vest that contained multiple magazines and was armed with an AR-style rifle, a handgun and a scanner. A motive was under investigation. As the suspect was firing his weapon, a second person “acquired a gun somehow” and returned fire, Outlaw said, adding they don’t know this person’s connection to the shooter. That second person was also taken into custody.
All six gunshot victims were either on the street or in vehicles when they were struck, Outlaw said, again adding that “at this point we don’t see a connection to any of the victims and the shooter.” Police identified the deceased victims Tuesday as Lashyd Merritt, 20; Dymir Stanton, 29; Ralph Moralis, 59; Daujan Brown, 15; and Joseph Wamah, Jr., 31. They had all been shot multiple times. The injured parties were both boys aged 2 years old and 13 years old, who were stable at a hospital.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney tweeted: “Horrified by the reports of a shooting in Southwest Philadelphia. My heart is with the loved ones and families of everyone involved, and I send my prayers to the victims.”
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