A gunman in a white van drove by a Philadelphia SEPTA station and wounded two men who were standing in a stairwell, leading to a police chase Wednesday morning, police said.
A 29-year-old was in critical condition from a gunshot to the chest and a 19-year-old was stable after getting shot in leg as the gunman opened fire while passing the station on Frankford Avenue and Arrott Street in the Frankford neighborhood, Philadelphia Police Department Capt. John Walker said.
Police officers in the area saw the shooting unfold around 12:20 a.m. and initiated a pursuit that also included a police helicopter, Walker said. After about eight minutes, the van finally stopped and the man and woman inside were taken into custody, he said.
“This is one of the busier transportation hubs for SEPTA, so we’re very fortunate to have only two people injured at this point,” Walker said. “And, again, we’re very happy that our officers didn’t get hurt during the course of the pursuit, nor did anybody in the public.”
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Officers never lost sight of the van during the chase, meaning one of the occupants was probably the shooter, the captain said.
Elsewhere, a 20-year-old man was shot multiple times while he slept in his bedroom in West Philadelphia.
The man was shot throughout his body, including his face and chest, after someone broke into the home on the 800 block of North 43rd Street around 2 a.m., Philadelphia Police Department Chief Inspector Scott Small said.
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The man was in critical condition at an area hospital. There were nine other people inside at the time, including five children, but no one else was hurt, Small said.
Investigators discovered six spent shell casings in the victim’s bedroom, the chief inspector said. The shooting is being investigated as a home invasion, and police officers were checking cameras to see if they could find a trace of the gunman, Small said.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
