Philadelphia police have changed course on classifying a paintball attack on several transgender people in Southwest Philadelphia as an intentional targeting.
At a news conference Friday afternoon, detectives in department's Southwest division said they were not convinced the shooters were seeking out trans people. They are now calling the shooting random.
A couple was walking along the 4200 block of Woodland Avenue Thursday afternoon when someone fired on them from a silver Infiniti. The woman was hit before the car drove away.
The car drove by and fired at people sitting on a porch at the Morris Home, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for transgender people on Woodland Avenue, a few minutes later. Police said three people were hit, with welts on their bodies showing from the paintballs.
While police said they believe the shooting was random, this is the third attack on transgender people in the area this week.
The nonprofit organization that runs the Morris Home says in a statement they are doing everything possible to ensure the safety and well-being of those they support.
Detectives said they plan to meet with a local transgender advocacy group to discuss the findings of the investigation thus far.
