PHILADELPHIA — At least three people were wounded after a shooting erupted at a Ramadan celebration in Philadelphia on Wednesday, authorities said.
The shooting occurred at about 2 p.m. EDT near a mosque in West Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Residents had gathered in the Parkside neighborhood near Philadelphia Masjid to celebrate Eid al-Fitr (breaking the fast), a celebration that marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, according to the newspaper.
3 hurt, 5 people arrested
Update 4:56 p.m. EDT April 10: At least three people were injured and five people -- including a teen who was wounded in a shootout with police -- are in custody, WCAU-TV reported.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel confirmed that five people, including the juvenile, were in custody, according to KYW-TV. Four males and a female were arrested.
A 15-year-old was shot by police responding to the scene and taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Bethel said. A 22-year-old was also shot. Both were in stable condition, the television station reported.
A child in the area of the shooting was struck by a police car responding to the scene and suffered a broken leg, KYW reported.
During a news conference, Bethel said that two groups of people started firing at each other.
The 15-year-old, who had a firearm, was wounded in the shoulder and leg by police, The Associated Press reported. A man was shot in the stomach and another juvenile was wounded in his hand, Bethel said.
There were no fatalities.
Original report: According to the Philadelphia Fire Department, one person was taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, KYW-TV reported. Fire officials said the person went home first and then was taken to the hospital, according to the television station.
At least two wounded victims were taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, according to the Inquirer.
A shooting erupted during a Eid al-Fitr event in West Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, injuring at least two people and causing pandemonium near one of the city’s largest mosques. https://t.co/lnm0KVP4aB
— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) April 10, 2024
One person who was wounded is being treated as a prisoner, the Inquirer reported.
It was unclear what led to the shooting, or how many gunmen may have been involved. It was also unclear whether the shooting was tied to a hate crime, according to the newspaper.
Two witnesses told the Inquirer that gunshots rang out after an apparent fight during the festival.
Four people are in custody, WPVI-TV reported.
Eid al-Fitr is the festival of breaking the fast, according to WPVI. The holiday includes congregational prayers and festivities, which typically include family visits and gatherings, the television station reported.
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