Holly MatkinPhiladelphia, PA – Fourteen people were shot and three were killed after multiple gunmen opened fire during a chaotic gathering on Philadelphia’s South Street on Saturday night.
Witness Geoff Ford said he and other patrons at a nearby restaurant locked themselves inside the building as the rowdy crowd jumped on cars and fought with one another shortly before the shooting.
“I mean, you can’t control 400 kids,” one witness was heard saying in a video clip. “They’re fighting again. Where are all the f—king cops?”
The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) said several officers were out on patrol in the area of Third Street and South Street when gunfire erupted at approximately 11:30 p.m., KABC reported.
“I knew it must’ve been gunshots,” local resident Frank Snyder told WPVI. “It must’ve been 30 shots I heard.”
One video clip showed the mob blocking police vehicles that were trying to respond to the area with their emergency lights activated.
Here’s more footage of the “hundreds of people enjoying south street as they do every weekend” per @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/hOrwcGJDOy
— Geoff Ford (@Geoffrey_Ford14) June 5, 2022
Officers arrived to the scene and came upon multiple wounded victims, PPD Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said during a press conference on Sunday afternoon, according to WPVI.
Three people were killed and 11 more were wounded, police said.
One officer spotted a gunman shooting into the crowd and fired at the suspect, who ultimately fled the scene.
Moments before the shooting last night @NBCPhiladelphia @6abc. Hundreds of kids running on cars dancing on cars. The restaurants had to move their patrons inside. We were locked inside for quite some time due to all the fights around us… 2/2 pic.twitter.com/XdWHY236Oa
— Geoff Ford (@Geoffrey_Ford14) June 5, 2022
Commissioner Outlaw said police believe the shooter was hit by the officer’s gunfire, WPVI reported.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said during a press conference on Monday morning that at least four guns were used during the shootout, but noted there may have been more.
“We will have a lot more to say later,” Krasner told reporters, according to WPVI. “Hour by hour we are finding out more information.”
He said he plans to approve charges against at least two suspects by late Monday, but said those cases involve “what we anticipate are non-fatal shootings,” according to the news outlet.
Moments before the shooting last night @NBCPhiladelphia @6abc. Hundreds of kids running on cars dancing on cars. The restaurants had to move their patrons inside. We were locked inside for quite some time due to all the fights around us… 1/2 pic.twitter.com/JeFOtBfT2s
— Geoff Ford (@Geoffrey_Ford14) June 5, 2022
According to Commissioner Outlaw, police believe one of the three victims killed in the shooting had gotten into a “physical altercation” with one of the suspects before he and the suspect both began shooting at one another, WPVI reported.
The two other individuals who were fatally shot – as well as the 11 people who were wounded – were all bystanders, she said.
The victims range in age from 17 to 69, according to Commissioner Outlaw.
The three people who were killed in the attack have been identified as 22-year-old Kris Minners, 34-year-old Greg “Japan” Jackson, and 27-year-old Alexis Quinn, WPVI reported.
“It’s gotten to the point where there’s no price to pay for carrying illegal guns, so people carry them because they don’t think anything is going to happen,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney told the news outlet.
“The events that transpired last evening on South Street are beyond devastating. Once again, we see lives senselessly lost and those injured in yet another horrendous, brazen and despicable act of gun violence.” Kenney said in a statement. “My heart is with the family, friends, loved ones of those lost or injured, and with everyone impacted by this terrible tragedy.”
The mayor urged anyone who has any information about “this heinous crime” to contact police, WPVI reported.
“I know this shooting has shaken many people in our community,” he continued. “The safety of our residents and visitors is our top priority. We cannot accept continued violence as a way of life in our country. Until we address the availability and ease of access to firearms, we will always be fighting an uphill battle. As Mayor, I will continue to fight to protect our communities and urge others to advocate for stronger laws that keep guns out of the hands of violent individuals.”
“The surge in gun violence that we’ve seen across the nation and here in Philadelphia makes me not just heartbroken, but angry,” Kenney said. “Our administration, in partnership with all of our local and federal law enforcement agencies, continues to work relentlessly to reduce violence and create safer communities.”
