The dreams of two Philadelphia high school athletes were nearly cut short by a hail of gunfire during a SEPTA shooting in Center City.
Jabbar Burk, 16, left basketball practice Wednesday night and met up with his friend, Ka’Vonn Porter-Parker, 17, at City Hall. They both got on a northbound Broad Street Line train around 9:45 p.m. when they noticed an argument among passengers.
“As soon as we step on, boom, we hear gunshots,” Burk told NBC10.
Burk and Porter-Parker fled in opposite directions but couldn’t escape the bullets. Burk was shot twice while Porter-Parker was shot three times in the chest. The teens told NBC10 they didn’t know they had been shot until they saw the blood while running away from SEPTA’s City Hall station.
“Never saw his face, never saw no guns,” Burk said. “I didn’t even see who was arguing.”
Police eventually arrested 22-year-old Isaac Orsini. He was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and other related offenses. Police haven’t revealed a motive behind the shooting.
Burk and Porter-Parker told NBC10 they did not know Orsini.
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“Everything he about to get, he deserves,” Porter-Parker said.
Burk plays basketball while Porter-Parker plays football. They both dream of becoming college sports stars and are thankful the dream didn’t come to a violent end.
“I’m really grateful that I have a second chance to still live,” Porter-Parker said.
Burk returned home while Porter-Parker remains at the hospital. They both told NBC10 they’ll continue to take the train despite what happened.
