A gunman in a speeding SUV opened fire on a group of men talking at a North Philadelphia street corner, leaving four of them hospitalized Sunday night.
The wounded men, two of whom are 23 years old and two of whom are 25, were struck as they and two others were having a conversation at the corner of Clearfield and Darien streets shortly before 7:20 p.m., Philadelphia Police Department Inspector D.F. Pace said.
One of the 23-year-olds was shot twice in the right shoulder and twice in the right thigh, the other 23-year-old was shot once in the left calf, one of the 25-year-olds was shot once in the right knee and the fourth victim was shot once in the right calf, PPD CPl. Jasmine Reilly said. All four were listed in Stable Condition at Temple University Hospital.
The shooter, who surveillance video showed was seated in the rear driver’s side of the dark-colored SUV, began firing about half a block before reaching the group and continued firing about half a block after striking and passing the men, Pace said.
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“The scene is a vast one. It goes from about 8th Street to 9th Street,” the inspector noted, adding that investigators found at least 19 shell casings.
The gunman remained on the loose.
A tally by the Philadelphia Office of the City Controller, last updated Dec. 22, shows at least 1,796 nondeadly victims of gunfire in 2021. Meanwhile, gunfire has been responsible for at least 473 of the 547 killings in Philadelphia this year, according to the city controller's office.
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With still a few days left in December, 2021 is already the year with the most killings in Philadelphia's recorded history. The previous homicide record, set in 1990, was 500.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
