Late Monday, relatives cried and hugged each other in the Kensington neighborhood moments after believing that their 17-year-old loved one had passed away at Temple University's trauma unit from a gunshot wound to the head.
However, what they heard was not true. The 17-year-old is alive, but remains in critical condition on life support.
Police say the teen and his 1-year-old nephew, who's just two weeks shy of his second birthday, were shot by four men who drove up in a minivan and fired a barrage of bullets at a group gathered in a vacant lot.
"It's very vague right now, all we know is it was somebody, they were standing in the lot when it happened; what the motive was about, we have no idea at this point," Philadelphia Police Captain Tom Davidson said.
The shooting occurred around 4:00 p.m. on the 2100 block of East Orleans Street.
Some of the bullets struck a parked SUV and went through the living room window of a row home, but missed the homeowner inside.
The child's mother, who is also the sister of the 17-year-old, says her mother was holding the child when the bullets began to fly.
The child was struck in the shoulder, but the bullet did not hit any vital organs and doctors say the child will be okay.
"I swear if I find out who it is, it's just the beginning because this is really ridiculous, it's not even summer yet and these people are getting shot out here," the child's mother said. "We're scared to come out at all because of the shooting around here."
Homicide detectives are working to identify the four men being sought.
They fled in a black or green Honda Odyssey minivan. Police were able to get the last four numbers on the Pa. tag - "1194."
Anyone with information is asked to call police.
