West Philadelphia Triple Shooting Leaves 2 Teens Dead Just Steps Away From Day Care Center
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Two teenagers were killed and another hospitalized after a triple shooting in West Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon. Police said it happened just after 12 p.m. in the 200 block of North 56th Street.
A suspect shot several times into a moving vehicle occupied by at least four people, according to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Frank Vanore.
Authorities said the 16-year-old boy was shot multiple times in his chest and stomach. He was rushed to an area hospital, where police said he later died from his injuries.
The second victim is another teen, an 18-year-old male, who was shot multiple times in his chest and stomach. Police said he later died at the hospital.
The third victim is a 16-year-old boy, who was shot once in his left upper shoulder and is currently stabilized at the hospital.
The shooting happened just steps away from a day care center, where small children inside heard the frightening pops of gunfire.
It's something children shouldn't ever have to hear. But we found one boy who says he is used to it.
"I heard it and the teacher said, 'Get down,'" 9-year-old Saair Smith said.
Saair remembers hearing several gunshots just outside of his day care in West Philadelphia
"I wasn't scared," he said.
The shooting happened moments before his mother was supposed to pick him up.
"They were about to get out of school two minutes from the call that we got. So could you imagine the kids walking around, coming out of school, it could have been one of them," mother Afara Smith said.
"I received a call to check to see if my niece is all right because there was a shooting there near the day care where she is," Renee Numan said.
Neighbors are outraged.
"I'm telling you all, you all need to stop. Please stop screaming 'Black Lives Matter,' because we're taking out each other. It's sad," a woman said. "Why can't we love each other? Love each other. We're supposed to be helping each other. We're not helping each other. We're taking from each other. You all need to stop."
"The whole community need to get together and get it together," Mellisa Bell said. "Cops, everybody, the commissioner, the mayor, the governor, where you at?"
Now, as Philadelphia faces a record number of homicides this year, former Deputy Police Commissioner Joe Sullivan says the city needs a new, comprehensive plan to tackle gun violence.
"It requires immediate action," Sullivan said. "Think about how we approach the opioid crisis. I think it's time we go 24/7. We have a gun violence command post, we follow the command principles, we have all the partners in the room at one time."
Until more action is taken, neighbors worry more young lives could be taken.
"Probably two," Saair said when asked how many times he's heard gunshots before.
More than 120 children have been shot in Philadelphia so far this year.
No arrests have been made in the shooting, police said.
The motive behind the triple shooting is unknown at this time. Police are continuing to investigate.
The fatal triple shooting came about an hour before Mayor Jim Kenney addressed the surge in gun violence in the city. Philadelphia is on pace to see its deadliest year on record to date with more than 300 homicides.
Kenney has allocated more than $150 million in next year's budget to curb gun violence, but he refused to declare an emergency response.
Head of Criminal Justice and Safety Erica Atwood sat down with Eyewitness News to explain why the mayor has declined to declare an emergency response to the city's gun violence crisis.
"Gun violence is the symptom and not the root cause," Atwood said.
Atwood cited a number of systematic factors, including a lack of access to quality education and high-paying jobs, behind the escalating gun violence.
For a list of gun violence resources in Philadelphia, click here.
CBS3's Matt Petrillo contributed to this report.
