Mother, 2 children among 4 people shot in North Philadelphia, police say
A mother, her two children and another man were critically injured in a shooting during a graduation party in North Philadelphia on Thursday night.
Police said the shooting happened on the 2300 block of North Lambert Street at around 9:30 p.m.
Witnesses said the family and another victim were innocent bystanders when the gunman opened fire.
The woman who hosted the graduation party for her son said she is still shaken up. The woman did not want to be identified, but she said the victims were friends of the family and her neighbor.
"It had nothing to do with the graduation party. Nothing to do with the attendees at the graduation party," the woman said. "Timing. Wrong place, wrong time."
Police said they were hit by stray gunfire from a man who fired at least 10 shots down the block.
Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said an 11-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl were both shot. The two are brother and sister, according to Small. The 11-year-old was shot in the arm and leg, while the 13-year-old was struck in the abdomen.
A 36-year-old woman, the mother of the 11-year-old and 13-year-old, was shot in the back, Small said. A 45-year-old man was shot in his arm, according to Small.
Small said all four of the people shot were placed in critical condition at the hospital.
"She got a towel from the girlfriend or something. She was like, 'Give me a towel, give me a towel.' She got a towel from them and then put pressure on it. Then the cops came and put him in the car," said Brenda Ross, a neighbor.
Ross lives a few houses down and said her granddaughter rushed to help one of the victims. She said the gunshots also sent her ducking for cover, fearing one would come through her window.
"It sounded like 10 gunshots, they was loud... real loud," said Ross.
So far, no arrests have been made.
Police said the entire incident was captured on surveillance video and they're hoping it can help them figure out a possible motive.
As for the woman who hosted the graduation party, she said she is hoping that whoever did this is brought to justice.