A 16-year-old became the latest teenager killed amid Philadelphia's gun violence crisis and before the end of the day a 12-year-old became the latest child shot.
Teenage Boy Shot, Killed
The teenage boy was shot twice in the head along the 5300 block of Grays Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia around 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Philadelphia police said.
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Police officers rushed the boy to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, investigators said.
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Several police vehicles could be seen blocking off the shooting scene, which isn't far from Bartram Gardens.
Investigators didn't immediately reveal a motive for the shooting and no weapon was recovered at the scene.
However, around 12:40 p.m., police declared a barricade as "several people" were inside a nearby Grays Avenue home.
"Shots were supposedly fired from inside this location at the time of the shooting," police said in a news release.
By the time officers went into the home, no one was found inside, police said around 2:15 p.m. They did, however, find blood in the home and held the scene for further investigation.
Boy, 12, Shot in Back While Riding Bike
Before the end of Thursday, a 12-year-old was shot while riding his bike in South Philadelphia, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
The boy was hit in the back while apparently riding on the sidewalk "just a few feet away from the front of his house," Small said. He was rushed to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where he was listed in stable condition.
Investigators found a man around 30 years old a few blocks away, Small said. They believe he was also shot as at least 14 bullets were fired near 23rd and Tasker.
Small said it wasn't clear if the boy or man were intended targets or if they know each other.
Gun Violence Targets City's Youth
Gun violence targeting children continues to rattle Philadelphia. Just a day earlier, a 15-year-old was shot outside a city rec center. According to the most recent shooting data from the City Controller's Office, children have made up about 10% of Philadelphia's more than 500 shooting victims so far this year.
To date, at least 126 homicides have occurred in Philadelphia, according to Philadelphia police data. That's down about 11% from the same date last year, but still on pace to be one of the deadliest years on record in the city.
This story is developing and will be updated.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
