Philadelphia

2 Teens Shot by Gunman After Playing Basketball at South Philly Police Athletic League

The 17-year-old was shot once in the left foot while the 19-year-old was shot once in each leg while walking outside the 2000 block of South 7th Street

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Two teenagers were shot by a gunman Thursday night as they were leaving the Police Athletic League in South Philadelphia. 

The 17-year-old boy and 19-year-old man were playing basketball inside the PAL building shortly before 7 p.m. As they were walking outside along the 2000 block of South 7th Street, a gunman opened fire. 

The 17-year-old was shot once in the left foot while the 19-year-old was shot once in each leg. Both teens were taken to Jefferson University Hospital and are in stable condition. 

No arrests have been made and a weapon has not been recovered. 

The double shooting is just the latest incident of gun violence impacting young people in the city. 

Prior to Thursday's shooting, there had been at least 55 children shot in Philadelphia so far this year, police said.

As of Wednesday night, the city had already seen 145 homicides in 2021, according to Philadelphia Police Department crime data. That is a 32% increase from the same time last year, which was already a year that ended with the second-highest homicide total that the city had seen in six decades.  Meanwhile, statistics from the Office of the Controller show 442 nonfatal shootings as of April 12 of this year.

There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.

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