Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Crime, Law and Justice
NPR Staff, NPR

Gunman opens fire on Philadelphia streets, killing 5 and wounding 2

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Philadelphia police stand at the intersection of 56th Street and Kingsessing Avenue after multiple people were shot in Southwest Philadelphia, late Monday, July 3, 2023.
Philadelphia police stand at the intersection of 56th Street and Kingsessing Avenue after multiple people were shot in Southwest Philadelphia, late Monday, July 3, 2023.
Yong Kim/AP

Five people were killed and two others injured Monday night when a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire in a Philadelphia neighborhood, police said.

Three of the dead victims were men who ranged in age from 20 to 59, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said at a Monday night news briefing. A fourth deceased victim was a male believed to be between 16 and 21, police said. Two boys were injured, a 2-year-old and a 13-year-old, said police, who added that the shooting took place in the Kingsessing neighborhood in southwest Philadelphia.

Police later announced that a fifth victim had been found. He was chased into his home and shot to death.

One suspect was taken into custody, Outlaw said. The suspect was wearing a bulletproof vest, with multiple magazines in the vest, she said, adding that the suspect also had a scanner, an "AR-style rifle" and a handgun.

Outlaw said the crime scene was a two-by-four-block area that had 50 spent shell casings. Police were still seeking a motive, she added.

"There are several scenes out here," Outlaw said. "We're canvassing the area to get as much as we can, to identify witnesses, to identify where cameras are located and do everything we can to figure out the why behind this happening."

"Horrified by reports of a shooting in Southwest Philadelphia," Mayor Jim Kenney said over Twitter.

Monday's violence came a day after a shooting took place at a holiday block party in Baltimore that killed two and wounded 28 others.

At least 339 mass shootings have taken place in the U.S. so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The archive defines a mass shooting as one where at least four people are shot, not including the shooter.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.