24 shot in multiple weekend shootings in Philadelphia leaving 4 dead
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Dozens of people were shot in a spate of gun violence over the weekend in Philadelphia.
During a news conference on Monday, city officials said a total of 24 people were shot in 11 separate incidents in various sections of the city.
Those shootings left four people dead.
An impassioned Mayor Cherelle Parker says the violence that unfolded in the city this weekend is something she takes personally.
"We cannot and will not rest until every resident in every neighborhood feels safe in their homes, going to school, or walking in their community," Parker said.
Of particular concern is the shooting that occurred near the Rothman Ice Rink in Dilworth Park on Friday night.
Sources tell Action News that everyone involved in that shooting is enrolled at Freire Charter High School in Center City.
Three teenagers were wounded, and a 14-year-old has been arrested, but we were told that the suspect was not the gunman.
Mayor Parker and Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel say that even though homicides are down 37% year-to-date, the violence we saw this weekend serves as a stark reminder that there is still a lot of work to be done.
"This weekend did not define who we were, and who we are, as a city and we will continue to work hard and address these issues as they come up," Bethel said.
"Our police commissioner is empowered to do everything that he possibly can in leading our police department to make sure that we make our public safety our number one priority," Parker said.
The violence also included two fatal shootings that occurred on Sunday.
One took place in Feltonville, where a man was killed and four others hospitalized.
The other happened inside a sports bar in Strawberry Mansion. In that case, one man was killed, and two more were injured.
"We will not allow anyone to think that they can just do anything in our city and there will not be any repercussion," Parker said. "It won't go down here in the city of Philadelphia."
