THREE people are dead and ten more have been injured in a horrifying mass shooting over the July 4 holiday weekend.
Gunmen fired “randomly,” shooting into homes and hurting children throughout a neighborhood overnight, police said.
The gun battle between multiple shooters broke out in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, just after 1 am on Monday, officials said.
“You know, this is coward stuff,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said at the scene, according to NBC affiliate WCAU.
“This is, you know, you see the size of this block. I mean, just individuals just shooting randomly into houses, into cars, children out here.
“I mean, this is coward, wanna-be thug stuff.”
A total of 12 people were shot.
The victims in the random attack ranged from ages 15 to 24.
The three victims who died were a 24-year-old man, a 23-year-old man, and a 19-year-old man.
The surviving victims include six teenagers.
One 19-year-old man is now fighting for his life in the hospital after being shot in the head twice.
Another victim, whose age and gender remain unknown, was also hurt when they fell to the ground during the chaos.
They were taken to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, cops said.
One person has been arrested in connection with the shooting, Bethel said.
Cops are still looking for the other gunmen. It’s unclear how many shooters were involved.
“We believe there was probably an exchange of gunfire, but who was exchanging, we will be going through that process now,” Bethel said.
Victims in the Philadelphia shooting
In the early hours of July 7, 2025, a tragic mass shooting in Southern Philadelphia claimed the lives of three individuals and left 10 others injured. The U.S. Sun has released the identities of those affected:
- Victim #1: A 23-year-old male sustained a gunshot wound to the chest. He was pronounced dead at 1:30 a.m.
- Victim #2: A 19-year-old male sustained a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at 1:31 a.m.,
- Victim #3: A 24-year-old male sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the back. He was pronounced at 2:16 a.m.
- Victim #4: A 21-year-old male sustained gunshot wounds to the buttocks and ankle.
- Victim #5: A 17-year-old male sustained a gunshot wound to the left arm.
- Victim #6: A 24-year-old male sustained a gunshot wound to the left arm.
- Victim #7: A 19-year-old male sustained a gunshot wound to the left arm.
- Victim #8: A 23-year-old female sustained gunshot wounds to the left elbow, left thigh, and right calf.
- Victim #9: A 15-year-old female, unknown where she was shot at this time.
- Victim #10: A 17-year-old male sustained a gunshot wound to the left arm.
- Victim #11: A 18-year-old male, unknown where he was shot at this time.
- Victim #12: A 19-year-old male sustained two gunshot wounds to the head. He was transported to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, then transported by ambulance to University Pennsylvania Hospital, where he is currently listed in critical condition.
Police stated that amidst the chaos, another individual was not shot but sustained injuries from a fall while attempting to flee the scene. This victim was transported to the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania for treatment.
Source: Philadelphia Police Department
About 40 people were gathered in the area when the shots rang out, Bethel estimated, saying it was a “large crowd.”
“Clearly, there was something going on on the block. You could see that,” he said.
JULY 4 VIOLENCE
The shooting is just one of 15 that occurred between July 4 and July 7 in Philadelphia.
Cops said in total, six people were killed and at least 35 were injured in the violent incidents.
Cities including Albany, New York; Charlottesville, Virginia; and Chicago, Illinois, faced deadly shootings over this holiday weekend.
Each year, gun violence tends to escalate around July 4, a trend possibly attributed to heightened tensions from soaring temperatures and increased alcohol consumption, according to a report by CNN last year.
