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A gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire along several blocks in southwestern Philadelphia before police apprehended him on Monday evening – a shooting that’s left four people dead and two children injured, authorities said.A second person who investigators believe picked up a gun and returned fire also was in police custody following the violence in Philadelphia’s Kingsessing neighborhood, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw said.Investigators don’t immediately know what led to the shooting, in which several vehicles were damaged and officers were running after the first suspect even as he was firing, Outlaw said.“We have absolutely no idea why this happened. … But thank God our officers were here on scene and responded as quickly as they did,” Outlaw said.Video below: Man arrested after Philadelphia shooting was wearing bulletproof vest, police sayThe names of neither the detainees nor those shot were immediately released. Three of the four killed ranged in age from 20 to 59, police said. The age of the fourth wasn’t immediately available.Outlaw described the conditions of the two children who were shot – ages 2 and 13 – as stable.The first suspect is a 40-year-old man who had an AR-style rifle and a handgun, said Outlaw, who did not have an age for the second detainee.Earlier, police said eight people had been injured.Officers became aware of Monday’s shooting around 8:30 p.m. when they were flagged down at an intersection and found some gunshot victims, Outlaw said.“As they were scooping up victims and preparing them for transport to the hospital, they also heard multiple gunshots up the street,” Outlaw said.“At some point they locate the suspect, and they were able to pursue this male who was on foot. The officers were on foot as well, and they followed or pursued this male,” she said.Officers eventually apprehended that suspect in an alley.“When they did, this male was wearing a bulletproof vest with multiple magazines in the vest. He also had a scanner and an AR-style rifle and a handgun underneath his body,” Outlaw said.About 50 spent shell casings littered the shooting scenes, she said.“At this point, we don’t see a connection to any of the victims and the shooter,” Outlaw said.“We’re canvassing the area to get as much as we can to identify witnesses, to identify where cameras are located, and do everything that we can to figure out the ‘why’ behind this happening,” Outlaw said.The shooting occurred a day after gunfire erupted at a holiday weekend block party in Baltimore, about 100 miles to the southwest, killing two people and wounding 28 others. The wounded in that shooting ranged in age from 13 to 32, with more than half of them minors, according to officials.The Philadelphia violence marks the country’s 29th mass killing in 2023, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.So far this year, the nation has witnessed the highest number on record of mass killings and deaths to this point in a single year.There have been more than 550 mass killing incidents since 2006, according to the database, in which at least 2,900 people have died and at least 2,000 people have been injured.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire along several blocks in southwestern Philadelphia before police apprehended him on Monday evening – a shooting that’s left four people dead and two children injured, authorities said.
A second person who investigators believe picked up a gun and returned fire also was in police custody following the violence in Philadelphia’s Kingsessing neighborhood, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw said.
Investigators don’t immediately know what led to the shooting, in which several vehicles were damaged and officers were running after the first suspect even as he was firing, Outlaw said.
“We have absolutely no idea why this happened. … But thank God our officers were here on scene and responded as quickly as they did,” Outlaw said.
Video below: Man arrested after Philadelphia shooting was wearing bulletproof vest, police say
The names of neither the detainees nor those shot were immediately released. Three of the four killed ranged in age from 20 to 59, police said. The age of the fourth wasn’t immediately available.
Outlaw described the conditions of the two children who were shot – ages 2 and 13 – as stable.
The first suspect is a 40-year-old man who had an AR-style rifle and a handgun, said Outlaw, who did not have an age for the second detainee.
Earlier, police said eight people had been injured.
Officers became aware of Monday’s shooting around 8:30 p.m. when they were flagged down at an intersection and found some gunshot victims, Outlaw said.
“As they were scooping up victims and preparing them for transport to the hospital, they also heard multiple gunshots up the street,” Outlaw said.
“At some point they locate the suspect, and they were able to pursue this male who was on foot. The officers were on foot as well, and they followed or pursued this male,” she said.
Officers eventually apprehended that suspect in an alley.
“When they did, this male was wearing a bulletproof vest with multiple magazines in the vest. He also had a scanner and an AR-style rifle and a handgun underneath his body,” Outlaw said.
About 50 spent shell casings littered the shooting scenes, she said.
“At this point, we don’t see a connection to any of the victims and the shooter,” Outlaw said.
“We’re canvassing the area to get as much as we can to identify witnesses, to identify where cameras are located, and do everything that we can to figure out the ‘why’ behind this happening,” Outlaw said.
The shooting occurred a day after gunfire erupted at a holiday weekend block party in Baltimore, about 100 miles to the southwest, killing two people and wounding 28 others. The wounded in that shooting ranged in age from 13 to 32, with more than half of them minors, according to officials.
The Philadelphia violence marks the country’s 29th mass killing in 2023, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
So far this year, the nation has witnessed the highest number on record of mass killings and deaths to this point in a single year.
There have been more than 550 mass killing incidents since 2006, according to the database, in which at least 2,900 people have died and at least 2,000 people have been injured.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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