'Who Does That But A Maniac?': 13-Year-Old Girl, Man Struck By Stray Gunfire Watching Fourth Of July Fireworks, Police Say
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Two people, including a teenager, are recovering after police say they were struck by stray gunfire while watching fireworks Thursday night. The shooting happened shortly before 8:30 p.m. on the 1800 block of Medary Avenue in Philadelphia's Ogontz neighborhood.
Police say someone sprayed bullets into a crowd of family and friends who were enjoying fireworks and a family cookout celebrating the Fourth of July outside of Angela Moore's home.
One of the victims was 13-year-old A'Kyla James.
"It's shocking because we were outside having a cookout and next thing you know, we're in the hospital," Moore, James' grandmother, said. "Why if you see a bunch of kids outside would you come shoot? Who does that but a maniac?"
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Moore described a night of chaos that started out with her grandchildren sitting on her front steps watching the fireworks.
"That's what I thought it was until all of them started running toward me," Moore said. "They're running toward me, I'm running toward them because once they started running, I knew it must've been a gun."
In addition to James, police say a 27-year-old man who was outside when the shooting happened was shot in the calf. The unidentified man was taken to Einstein Medical Center in stable condition.
People who spoke with Eyewitness News say they did not know the man.
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"Witnesses who were with the victims, they were on the corner outside of a family member's home, just enjoying a cookout, when multiple gunshots rang out and that's when both of the victims were shot," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said. "Now the witnesses don't know where the gunshots came from because at the time of the shooting, there were numerous fireworks being ignited in the neighborhood."
But what Moore does know is that James will have to learn how to walk again after police say one bullet punctured both of her legs.
"She'll have to go to therapy, you got to remember they broke two bones," Moore said.
Police hope some clues in the community will help lead them to the shooter.
Meanwhile, Moore wishes she could trade places with her granddaughter.
"She's a sweetheart," Moore said. "I'm hurt. I would've rather it be me than my grandbaby."
James is in stable condition at St. Christopher's Hospital.
The family says it could be a few more days before she returns home.
CBS3's Kimberly Davis and Crystal Cranmore contributed to this report.
