New images released in search for gunman who shot 2 teens in North Philadelphia
The shooting happened a short distance from the memorial for a fallen Temple University police officer.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police have released surveillance images of a vehicle being sought after two teenagers were shot in North Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The shooting happened in the 1900 block of W. Montgomery Avenue shortly before 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, a short distance from the memorial for a fallen Temple University police officer.
A 17-year-old male was found with multiple gunshot wounds to his legs. A 13-year-old female was found a block away with a gunshot wound to her right forearm.
The 17-year-old was last reported to be in critical condition, while the 13-year-old was in stable condition.
Police believe the 17-year-old was targeted in this shooting.
On Wednesday, police said the vehicle being sought in this case is a dark gray Nissan Maxima with a sunroof and a spoiler on the back.
It had a temporary PA tag of 3901-869.
The vehicle also has a missing hub cap on the rear driver's side.
Veronica Joyner, founder of the Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School says the 17-year-old is one of her students.
"He was on his way home from school after getting off the bus, and he was half a block away from his home," Joyner said.
Investigators are now saying they believe this was a targeted attack because the shooter quickly jumped out of the vehicle, and made a direct path toward the teenager who was shot.
"Approached our 17-year-old victim, who was with two additional males, and began to fire. Once the male was hit, he went down," said Capt. James Kearney of the Philadelphia Police Dept.
He says the suspect then got closer to the victim and fired some more.
Police also say a 13-year-old girl, who just happened to be walking by, suffered a graze wound to her arm.
Grief counselors have been on-site at the school since word spread of the shooting.
Joyner says what makes this case even more disturbing is the 17-year-old who was critically wounded is, at least, the fourth of her students to be shot or killed over the past few years.
"There is not enough being done because it continues. And when things go without consequences, it encourages it to continue," Joyner said.
In 2017 Jai Custus, a student at the school, was shot to death trying to bring his cousins to safety as gunfire erupted on his block. In 2019, Ceani Smalls was shot by a man randomly firing at passengers getting off a SEPTA bus.
And in 2020, junior Mekhi Parlow was shot finishing up a shift at Burger King.
Like many parents and students, Joyner says she's weary that there's only so much she and her staff can do to keep students safe.
"I can keep them safe within the environment of school, and at dismissal of school, but their neighborhoods are not safe," said Joyner.
Authorities say they are confident that someone out there knows who is using that vehicle.
"We ask this Philadelphia community to stand up. Tell us who is driving the car, who has the car and give us the information," Kearney said.
