Man speaks out after shootout with teens during attempted robbery in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Two teenagers who shot a man during an attempted robbery on Saturday night may also be connected to other crimes in Philadelphia, authorities say.

What the teens didn't expect was for the victim to fire back.

The incident happened at approximately 9 p.m. on Saturday in the 1200 block of 41st Street in the city's Parkside neighborhood.

Twenty-six-year-old Wayne Hamm was injured in the shooting. He told Action News over the phone that he simply could not believe both of the suspects who attacked him were only 16 years old.

"It's the world nowadays. The young kids don't have no guidance, and the guidance they are getting is not really so good for them," said Hamm, who is recovering at the hospital.

Hamm says a scuffle quickly ensued with two 16-year-olds, during which one of the attackers opened fire. Hamm then pulled out his weapon and fired as well.

One of the attackers was hit repeatedly, the other fled the scene.

Somehow, despite being shot in the back and the arm, Hamm was able to run away as well.

"He was able to run down the street to the cops and flag down the officers and let them know what happened and that he was licensed to carry, and then the cops transported him here," recalled the victim's girlfriend, Nacira Scott.

Scott said she was with her boyfriend moments before the attack.

"I talked to him at 9:03 p.m. and I asked him to get me a brownie. And I guess after he hung up, two people came from behind him and pretty much tried to rob him," she recalled.

The 16-year-old suspect suffered multiple gunshot wounds and remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The second teenage suspect later showed up at the hospital as well and was quickly arrested.

Hamm and Scott are grateful this terrible ordeal ended the way it did.

"I am pretty much making a full recovery. Just had to take a few bullet fragments out of me and patch me back up from the wounds," said Hamm.

"God is the one who pretty much has the final decisions, and I'm just glad and I'm grateful that he was able to defend himself because who knows how that situation could've ended up," added Scott.

Suspects possibly tied to other crimes

Officers say they are looking into whether this incident is tied to other recent robberies.

"This area has been on our radar. It very well may be there's a connection from previous robberies and the one this evening," noted Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace.

Two weapons were recovered at the scene.

Action News spoke with a man who was praying inside a nearby mosque when the shots rang out.

"We were in class, we heard a noise, a shooting. 'Pow! Pow! Pow!' One guy fell here. Another guy right there," recalled Abdul Khaver, a custodian at the mosque.

Surveillance video of the incident shows people fleeing the area once the shots fire.

Khaver said there's a lot of crime in the area, especially at night.

"I just come to the mosque and try to make it home safely," he said. "With the element of crime in these areas, sometimes people need to feel protected. But it's sad."

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the police.