2 Hurt as Gunman Fires at House Party Near Temple U., Police Say

A gunman wounded two people after pulling out a gun and firing at a house party which was being attended by both students and community members near Temple University, police said.

The wounded included a 19-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, the latter of which organized the party of around 100 people at a rowhome on the 1800 block of Diamond Street in North Philadelphia, just a few blocks from the university’s campus, Philadelphia Police Department Capt. John Walker said.

Neither of the victims were Temple students, he said. The woman was shot in the foot, while the man was shot in the stomach, Walker said. Temple University police officers who responded to the shooting rushed both to Temple University Hospital, where the woman was stable and the man was in critical condition, Walker added.

Police initially said the female victim was 21 and that the gunman used an AK-47 rifle, but they later updated the woman's age and said the shooter used a handgun.

The gunman fired around 13 shots, striking other homes nearby, Walker said. He added that the bullets didn’t appear to have pierced the home where the party was taking place.

“Those bullets, as we know, can penetrate through brick. And we’re just fortunate that they did hit some of the walls of the homes and didn’t penetrate into that location,” Walker said.

A man at the scene with a gun permit fired back at least two shots, the police captain said, noting that the second man was being investigated.

The shooting, which happened around 1:50 a.m. Saturday, may have stemmed from some sort of car accident, Walker said, though he did not elaborate.

Both victims were in the area when a car, possibly red or orange in color, stopped in the middle of the street and the passenger got out and began shooting into a crowd of people who were also standing in the area, PPD Cpl. Jasmine Reilly said.

The home where the party was taking place is well-known in the area for hosting parties, Walker said. The 30-year-old gunshot victim apparently organizes the parties and charges for admission, he added.

The PPD was contacting the state liquor control enforcement units to “try and work on this house and try and shut it down,” Walker said.

“It’s just unacceptable that we have people that are holding parties with alcohol and charging funds. It’s not permitted in the state. And with 100 people in the house, on the first floor, especially during COVID, it’s just not acceptable behavior,” Walker said. “And again, we see what the end result here is: it’s people pulling out guns and two people now injured.”

Police could not immediately locate the gunman who fired the initial shots, nor did they have a good description of him, Walker said.

The shooting remained under investigation.