Father describes firing back after 12-year-old son shot while caught in crossfire in SW Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police are investigating a double shooting that left two people, including a 12-year-old, injured on Tuesday.

It happened just before 4 p.m. outside of an auto shop on the 5300 block of Lindbergh Boulevard in Southwest Philadelphia.

Officers say a 12-year-old suffered a graze wound to the head and a 43-year-old man had a gunshot wound to his back.

Surveillance video of the incident showed that a shooter opened fire in the area. Moments later, another man is seen pulling out a gun and firing back.

That second man is the father of the boy who was injured. He told Action News he was defending his son.

"From out of nowhere, I hear like 10 to 15, 20 gunshots from the back, you know? And we all ran inside the shop and that's when I started discharging my weapon too," he said.

Neighbors told Action News what they heard when the gunfire rang out.

"First it was 'Pow! Pow! Pow!' Then it stopped, then 'Pow! Pow! Pow!' again," one resident recalled. "I said, 'Oh, somebody's shooting out here.' So I tried to get down."

Officers told Action News that the 43-year-old, who is a mechanic, was the target of this shooting. He was transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and was listed in critical but stable condition.

Investigators believe the 12-year-old was caught in the crossfire.

"He's a little child," his father said. "I just picked him up from school. Now he's got a bullet in his head."

He said that he and his son were getting his car fixed when the shooting began. He initially ran from the scene, but said he lost track of the child.

"I came outside looking for him, he came from the left side of the shop. I see the blood on his face and everywhere on his body," the father recalled.

Seeing his son injured is what prompted the father to fire back. He says he then grabbed his son and drove off to the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

The 12-year-old has since been treated and released, but the family is horrified after this incident.

"I'm so hurt right now. I don't know how I'm going to heal from this, I'm still traumatized right now," the father said. "Just put yourself in my shoes. Like you feel me? If somebody is shooting and killing your child, how are you going to feel?"

No arrests have been made but police say a weapon was recovered at the scene.

Police are still searching for the shooter. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the police.

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