Community members held a forum on Sunday discussing ways to end the violence after a shooting injured seven people at a West Philadelphia playground.
At least seven people were shot in West Philadelphia Saturday night as hundreds of residents watched a basketball game and cooked out in a popular park, according to police.
Shots rang out shortly before 9 p.m. near 54th and Lansdowne Avenue. One witness told police that two men were seen shooting into a crowd at Baker Playground, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said.
Blood could be seen scattered throughout the park, where several hundred people barbecued and lit fireworks throughout the evening.
Festivies were so loud, in fact, that many people did not realize a mass shooting had taken place, Ross said.
"You let people walk around with inpunity and you give the impression that these sorts of things are OK," Ross said. "They're never OK."
Three of the victims were 18 years old. The others were between the ages of 19 and 29, according to police. All of the victims were taken to local hospitals in stable condition.
At least one person was shot four or five times throughout the body, Ross said.
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"We have no idea what this is about," Ross said. "It's a sad indication of where we are in society."
