Second US mass shooting in two days kills 4 in Philadelphia
At least four people have been killed and four more wounded in the second mass shooting in as many days in the major northeastern city of Philadelphia amid the epidemic gun violence across the US.
Two children -- aged 2 and 13 -- were among those injured in the mass shooting in the State of Pennsylvania's most populous city on Monday night, according to local police authorities.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw identified the victims as "all males," adding that the four people killed were aged 59, 22, and 20, and that one of the deceased victims remained unidentified but believed to be between 16- and 21-year-old.
Speaking at a press briefing at the scene, Outlaw further explained that Philadelphia police officers responded shortly before 8:30 p.m. to reports of gunfire and that shots continued to ring out as the police arrived at the scene.
He added that a 40-year-old male suspect was eventually taken into custody without incident a short time later while wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with an “AR-style” rifle as well as a handgun.
The suspect was also carrying additional magazines of ammunition and a police scanner at the time of his arrest, Outlaw noted.
While preliminary reports pointed to a total of eight shooting victims, Philadelphia Police authorities put the final count at six, without elaborating on the reason for the discrepancy.
The two injured children were reported to be in stable condition, according to Outlaw, who added that police were still looking into the motives of the shooting.
In a statement posted on Twitter late Monday night, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney wrote, “Horrified by the reports of a shooting in Southwest Philadelphia. My heart is with the loved ones and families of everyone involved, and I send my prayers to the victims.”
“My sincere thanks to @PhillyPolice for their brave response and successful apprehension of a suspect. This devasting [sic] violence must stop." Kenney added.
The shooting came just a day after another mass shooting in the relatively close city of Baltimore -- 100 miles away -- that killed at least two people and wounding dozens, about half of them children, at an apartment block.
Based on data compiled from the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 26 instances of mass homicides in the United States so far this year.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, the United States holds the No. 1 ranking for civilian firearm ownership, with 120.5 firearms owned per 100 individuals.
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