Police: Man hit by stray bullet while visiting family in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A man is expected to survive after he was hit by a stray bullet while visiting family members in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Philadelphia on Monday.

It happened around 5 p.m. on the 5400 block of Gibson Drive at Bartram Village.

According to police, at least 14 shots were fired from at least two separate guns.

"It's a horrifying situation. You have a 62-year-old man visiting friends on a beautiful day, and you have four young men who try to resolve something in open air with a weapon," said Captain John Walker with the Philadelphia Police Department.

Police say a 62-year-old man was hit in the stomach after he exited his vehicle.

He was rushed to an area hospital and placed in stable condition.

The stray gunfire also hit a minivan that was occupied by a grandmother and her three grandchildren. Police say no one inside the van was shot.

Neighbors tell Action News the gunshots sounded like firecrackers, and that kids were outside playing at the time.

"I don't go outside of my apartment after 9 p.m., or 5 p.m., even 6:00 p.m. Once the sun goes down, I'm in," said Lacey Jones of Southwest Philadelphia.

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier says there needs to be a more targeted strategy when it comes to preventing gun violence in certain neighborhoods. She also believes the community crisis intervention program needs to be expanded.

Investigators are searching for at least four suspects.

Captain John Walker believes that by working together, the community will come back from this. He says tips are strictly confidential.

"It's hard to swallow, but we understand there's a great community out here. There's only a small group of individuals doing this and we need to get ahold of it. They lack love, they lack parenting," said Walker.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.