Five people are believed to be dead and two children injured following a mass shooting in Philadelphia.According to authorities a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire in Southwest Philadelphia on Monday night, reportedNBC News.Police initially said four people were killed, but early Tuesday announced the discovery of a fifth body in the same Kingsessing neighborhood who they believe was also a victim, addedCNN,Kyle Mazza/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesSpeaking at anews conference Monday, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw said the injured children — described as boys aged 2 and 13 — were “in stable condition.”Outlaw added that police responded to the incident at 8:29 p.m. local time and pursued the gunman on foot while he was still actively shooting and “apprehended him in an alley.”The shooting happened on Monday night in the Kingsessing area.Drew Hallowell/Getty Images“He was taken into custody without incident,” continued Outlaw, who said the suspect is believed to be a 40-year-old male who was carrying a semi-automatic rifle, a handgun, a police scanner and multiple magazines of ammunition.The authorities said that another person has also been taken into custody but police currently don’t know the nature of their connection to the shooter. Outlaw said they “may have picked up someone’s gun and returned fire” and they did so “in the direction of the shooter.“Police said all the victims were male.Kyle Mazza/SOPA Images/ShutterstockThree of the victims — who were all male — were aged 20, 22 and 59, while authorities are unsure of the age of the fourth, city police Chief Inspector Scott Small said, according to CNN. The fifth victim who was later found dead was aged 31, he added.Police believe that all of those who were shot were either on the street or in vehicles and that they are currently searching for a motive as there is no clear connection between the gunman and the victims, reported NBC News.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.“All we know is that this person decided to leave their home and target individuals,” said Outlaw.“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,” added Outlaw, who also went on to praise the bravery of her colleagues.“Thank God our officers were here on scene,” she continued. “They responded as quickly as they did, they showed, I can’t even describe the level of bravery and courage that was shown, in addition to the restraint that was also shown here. We unfortunately have six victims here but it could have been more had it not been for the officers.”
Five people are believed to be dead and two children injured following a mass shooting in Philadelphia.
According to authorities a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire in Southwest Philadelphia on Monday night, reportedNBC News.
Police initially said four people were killed, but early Tuesday announced the discovery of a fifth body in the same Kingsessing neighborhood who they believe was also a victim, addedCNN,
Kyle Mazza/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Speaking at anews conference Monday, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw said the injured children — described as boys aged 2 and 13 — were “in stable condition.”
Outlaw added that police responded to the incident at 8:29 p.m. local time and pursued the gunman on foot while he was still actively shooting and “apprehended him in an alley.”
The shooting happened on Monday night in the Kingsessing area.Drew Hallowell/Getty Images
Drew Hallowell/Getty Images
“He was taken into custody without incident,” continued Outlaw, who said the suspect is believed to be a 40-year-old male who was carrying a semi-automatic rifle, a handgun, a police scanner and multiple magazines of ammunition.
The authorities said that another person has also been taken into custody but police currently don’t know the nature of their connection to the shooter. Outlaw said they “may have picked up someone’s gun and returned fire” and they did so “in the direction of the shooter.”
Police said all the victims were male.Kyle Mazza/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
Kyle Mazza/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
Three of the victims — who were all male — were aged 20, 22 and 59, while authorities are unsure of the age of the fourth, city police Chief Inspector Scott Small said, according to CNN. The fifth victim who was later found dead was aged 31, he added.
Police believe that all of those who were shot were either on the street or in vehicles and that they are currently searching for a motive as there is no clear connection between the gunman and the victims, reported NBC News.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
“All we know is that this person decided to leave their home and target individuals,” said Outlaw.
“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,” added Outlaw, who also went on to praise the bravery of her colleagues.
“Thank God our officers were here on scene,” she continued. “They responded as quickly as they did, they showed, I can’t even describe the level of bravery and courage that was shown, in addition to the restraint that was also shown here. We unfortunately have six victims here but it could have been more had it not been for the officers.”
source: people.com
