Philadelphia

Man in Bed Shot, 5 Others Hurt as Bullets Fly Into Group Outside on Philly Street

A stray bullet from a mass shooting along East Chelten Avenue in Philadelphia's East Germantown neighborhood struck a man inside his apartment

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What to Know

  • A shooting that targeted a group of people gathered along a East Germantown street left a bystander in his bed and five others hurt.
  • More than 30 bullets were fire late Thursday night along East Chelten Avenue in Philadelphia, police said. One of those bullets went into a man's apartment and struck him.
  • Police spent hours marking off dozens of pieces of evidence, eventually having to hand write some markers when they ran out of numbers.

A shooting along a Philadelphia street left a man asleep in his bed and five others hurt overnight as more than 30 bullets were fired.

A police officer heard the shooting along East Chelten Avenue near Chew Avenue late Thursday night and rushed to the scene, Philadelphia police said.

That officer scooped up four men suffering from gunshot wounds and rushed them to the hospital, police said. Another officer then took a fifth man to the hospital.

The men, who range in age from 18 to 26, were listed in stable to critical condition.

Medics were then called to a nearby second-floor apartment where they found a man in his late 40s who was shot in his groin by a stray bullet while he was sleeping in bed, police said. He was treated at the hospital and listed in stable condition.

Investigators marked off more than 30 shell casings spread over the sidewalk and street -- they even ran out of numbered evidence markers and had to start writing them by hand. They believe up to two gunmen were responsible for what they called a "group shooting."

“What we do know is that we do have group-on-group violence in various parts of this city that is plaguing us right now and that’s more than likely the reason for this particular situation,” Deputy Commissioner Melvin Singleton said.

Shootings and homicides are up throughout Philadelphia this year.

City Council, police leaders and District Attorney Larry Krasner all sounded off Thursday, a day after two 17-year-olds became homicide victims 305 and 306. NBC10's Drew Smith reports.

Police hoped that surveillance video will help them track down the shooters but they hope the public helps track down those responsible for the shooting.

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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