Family unharmed as police investigate suspected arson, shooting outside Hunting Park home

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia Police are looking for the people they say shot into a home and tried to light it on fire in the city's Hunting Park section early Thursday morning.

The whole thing nearly turned into a family tragedy but, luckily, no one was injured.

Around 3:30 a.m. Thursday, police say 911 calls starting pouring in for gunshots and a house fire on the 3800 block of N. Marshall Street.

"The porch was actually still on fire when the officers arrived," Captain Adam Friedman, with the East Detectives Division, said. "So once that was extinguished, that's when they were able to begin their investigation and look for any evidence."

Police said they found over 25 spent bullet casings, which appear to have been fired from two weapons, on both the sidewalk and on the property.

Most of the shell casings appear to be rifle rounds, police noted.

Three adults and three children, who range in age from eight months to 5 years old, were inside the home at the time, but they missed being hit by the bullets.

"Thank God no one was injured because that would have been even worse, especially with the children inside," Captain Friedman said.

Detectives are searching for the people responsible. They say no arrests have been made and no motive has been identified.

"Right now, they will continue to canvass the neighborhood for cameras, any type of surveillance video, witnesses," Friedman said. "There was an empty gas can recovered, so that will be analyzed for fingerprints. Tests will be done on the recovered firearm casings."

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