A night of holiday fun interrupted by gunfire. Police say a shooting at Dilworth Park sent three teens to the hospital Friday afternoon and caused the ice rink and businesses at the Christmas Village to close early. NBC10’s Isabel Sánchez reports.
Three teenagers are hurt after a shooting near the ice rink at Dilworth Park outside of Philadelphia's City Hall, according to police.
The shooting happened just after 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 on the west side of City Hall near 15th and Market streets, police said.
According to Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore, officers assigned to the area reported hearing four to five gunshots near the ice rink.
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The officers moved quickly to the area where the shots were fired and found two 14-year-olds suffering from gunshot wounds, Vanore explained.
"People just coming here to visit, spend a little money and enjoy themselves. And all the sudden terror breaks out for no reason," George Driver, who was visiting Dilworth Park said.
This all happened adjacent to the ice skating rink when a fight broke out between the teenagers, Vanore said. During the argument, a gun was fired.
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"It's inexcusable," Vanore told reporters at the scene. "Having a gun is dangerous at any venue."
One of the teens, a 14-year-old boy, was shot in the face and taken to a nearby hospital, where he is listed in extremely critical condition, according to police. A second victim, a 15-year-old boy, was shot in the thigh and listed in stable condition at a nearby hospital.
Police confirmed late on Friday night that a third boy, 14, was brought to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia by his mother with a gunshot wound to his calf. He was listed in stable condition.
Vanore explained that another 14-year-old boy was detained by the officers at the scene. Police said he is being charged as an adult with aggravated assault, PIC, REAP and conspiracy.
Officials confirmed that a man was taken into custody in connection to this incident.
"To see the actual shell casings and like, everything. It’s just so crazy," Nina Perez, who was nearby, said.
Investigators are still looking for more witnesses and evidence as they continue to figure out what happened, Vanore said.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Philadelphia Police Department's Shooting Investigation Group at 215-686-8270 or provide anonymous tips at 215-686-TIPS.
SkyForce10 was over the scene just before 5 p.m. on Friday where police could be seen blocking off part of the ice skating rink that was empty.
At least two vendors at the Christmas Village had their doors closed with merchandise still displayed outside.
Vendor describes witnessing the incident
One vendor, Lily Lough, was helping customers at her jewelry booth when the incident happened. Lough said that when they heard what sounded like gunshots, it took a second to register what was happening.
"We couldn't believe ourselves," Lough explained. "We just stayed down."
Once they realized there was a shooting, Lough and her customers hid under the table inside her booth and covered themselves with metal chairs.
"It was very scary," she said. "All I saw was people running away."
The skating rink stayed closed for the rest of Friday night.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
Center City District President and CEO Prema Katari Gupta released a statement regarding the shooting:
"We are deeply saddened by the shooting that occurred early yesterday evening in Dilworth Park, a space we are committed to maintaining as a safe and welcoming environment for the region. Our hearts go out to the three teenagers who were injured and all those impacted by senseless violence.
The safety of visitors, merchants and park staff is our highest priority. Immediately after we received word of the incident, we shut down operations at Dilworth Park, including the rink, the cabin and the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market. Today, and in the coming days, we will be working with police and city officials to ensure that Dilworth Park remains a safe and welcoming space for everyone.
It is important to emphasize that this was an isolated incident at Dilworth Park, which has seen more than 11 million visitors so far this year. A full complement of CCD’s dedicated on-street team is deployed at the park every day, including safety patrol staff and Community Service Representatives, and we will continue working to ensure that it remains a space for patrons to enjoy, during the holidays and year-round."
If you have any information on this incident, please contact the Philadelphia Police Department's Shooting Investigations Group at 215-686-8270.
You can also submit an anonymous tip by calling or texting 215-686-TIPS.
This is a breaking news story. Check back here for updates.
