A teenager is fighting for his life while two other teens are recovering following a triple shooting in West Philadelphia.
A 13-year-old boy and two 16-year-old boys were on the 1500 block of North Frazier Street at 4:04 p.m. on Monday when a gunman fired around 50 shots.
The 13-year-old boy was shot once in the abdomen. A 16-year-old boy was shot once in the right foot, three times in the left arm and once in the abdomen. The second 16-year-old boy was shot once in the abdomen.
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All three teens were taken to the hospital. The 16-year-old boy who was shot five times is in extremely critical condition. The other two teens are stable.
"Very, very frightening. Very frightening," Philadelphia Police Inspector Kapana Massaquoi said. "That type of firepower out here when there are kids possibly playing out here and at that time of the day is very scary."
Police recovered a handgun though they have not yet confirmed whether or not it was the weapon used in the shooting. Inspector Massaquoi said a rifle may have also been used.
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Another shooting occurred at 4:48 p.m. along the 5500 block of Lansdowne Avenue in West Philadelphia, about two blocks away from the scene of the triple shooting. A 45-year-old man was shot twice in the right leg and twice in the left leg. He was taken to the hospital where he was placed in stable condition.
No arrests have been made in either shooting.
Along with the police, members of the community group Philadelphia Anti-Drug Anti-Violence Network (PAAN) also responded to the triple shooting.
"There's no way in the world that we should have military-style weapons out here on these streets in the hands of youth," Abdul-Kareem As-Salafi, a PAAN member, said.
When it comes to preventing violence involving teenagers and children, As-Salafi believes parents need to be involved and know what their children are doing.
"Let's discuss why this is happening," he said. "This is what we have to do. It's all about coalition building with the parents and the organizations that's out here that's really concerned."
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
