At least three people — including two juveniles– were shot when rival gangs opened fire during an Eid al-Fitr event in West Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, police said.
Over 1,000 people – including families with children – are believed to have been at the outdoor event to celebrate Eid, an Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.
At least one Philadelphia police officer fired their weapon during the incident. APAround 30 gunshots erupted around 2:30 p.m. at the public celebration.
“There appear to be two factions within the park who [were] exchanging gunfire,” Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said.
Officials “made numerous arrests and at least 4 guns were recovered,” from the scene. APOne of the people shot was a juvenile who pulled out a gun at the event near the Philadelphia Masjid mosque and the Sister Clara Muhammad School.
Police shot the 15-year-old twice when he wouldn’t drop the weapon before rushing him to a hospital.
Multiple people were shot at a Philadelphia event marking the end of Ramadan, FOX 29 reported. APOne of the victims was an innocent bystander, also a juvenile, celebrating at the event. Police said the youngster showed up at the hospital after the incident with a gunshot wound to the hand.
The other victim, 22, sustained a gunshot wound to his stomach during the gunfight, Bethel said, indicating that the individual may have been involved in the chaos.
A person talks to an officer in the aftermath of a shooting at the Eid al-Fitr event. APAll are expected to survive, but homicide police are investigating the incident because of the “magnitude of the situation.”
Five people have been arrested so far, including the 15-year-old boy who was shot in the shoulder and the leg by a responding police officer when he refused to drop a gun.
The officer grabbed the teen and put him in her patrol car, which she immediately rushed to a local hospital, Fox 29 reported.
One person may have been shot by an officer responding to the gunfire. APThe other four suspects — three males and a female — were grabbed when they tried to flee the scene.
Four weapons were recovered from the group, including a gun from the teenager.
An evidence marker is placed next to a cartridge case at the scene of a shooting at an Eid event. APPhiladelphia police had a detail for the event and were handing out parking tickets around the perimeter when the gunfire erupted.
Parents who may have been separated from their children during the chaos were given a staging location to reunite with their loved ones.
A person picks up debris in the aftermath of a shooting at an Eid event in Philadelphia, Wednesday, April 10, 2024. AP“I heard a lot of people running, right, left, with their kids. They came inside, and we had to lock the door, they were scared,” Abdullah, a shopkeeper at a nearby market, told FOX 29.
“They told me someone had been shot there,” he said of the terrifying incident.
A pedestrian running from the scene was hit by a car. The extent of their injuries was unknown, according to reports.
A heavy police presence could be seen on aerial video from FOX 29.
When reached by The Post, the Philadelphia Police Department declined to comment on the developing situation.
