2 teens shot, 1 killed, in separate Philadelphia shootings, marking latest gun violence among youth

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia's youth are once again the latest victims of gun violence in the city.

A 16-year-old boy was gunned down in a targeted hit Tuesday afternoon.

Witnesses say three people had been chasing the teen in the city's Oxford Circle section. They then fired more than 50 shots before standing over him to kill him.

A 15-year-old girl is also recovering from being shot in the neck in a separate incident in Philadelphia's Logan neighborhood. It happened around around 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday in the 1400 block of West Loudon Street. Police believe the gunfire stemmed from an argument earlier in the day around 2 a.m.

Police said two shots were fired from a vehicle that the shooter was in.

"She is in critical condition but expected to survive," said Chief Inspector Scott Small with the Philadelphia Police Department, adding that the girl can walk and talk despite being shot in the neck.

The shooter is described as a female in a gray sedan. After the shots were fired, the sedan was last seen going eastbound on Loudon St. towards Broad Street.

Residents of the 19th District joined police for a community meeting Tuesday night at Vine Memorial Baptist Church in West Philadelphia.

"I need the neighbors to be involved and I need them interested in what's going on on their block," Philadelphia Police Captain Lawrence Nuble said.

The meeting was called after a mass shooting Sunday morning around 2 a.m. at an unsanctioned block party. Three people were left dead and six others were wounded in the 12-hundred block of North Alden Street after multiple people opened fire.

Police identified the victims killed as 33-year-old Akil Jones, his younger brother, 29-year-old Rashie Jones, and 23-year-old Sakayi Robinson.

Tahir Shoatz, 28, was also shot but has been charged in connection with the shooting. He is being charged with three counts of homicide, five counts of aggravated assault, and related charges.

Police said they are looking to make more arrests.

Now, neighbors are trying to make sense of what happened and figure out a solution to the violence we see time and again among our youth.

"We need to start going through our children's things. Because they're bringing it in our homes. I'm telling you," said another resident.

"The young man that killed my son -- killed my son - he was 17 years old," another said.

"We still need you guys as law enforcement. Because you guys sent your whole graduating class to Kensington," said another.