One teen was killed in a shooting at a playground in Reading, Pennsylvania. NBC10’s Steven Fisher has the details.
What to Know
- At least four young people were shot at Brookline Park in Reading, Pennsylvania Monday night. Amiere Tyhee Bibbs, 18, died.
- The Governor Mifflin School District said it made all middle and high school classes virtual Tuesday since four of its students were involved in the incident.
- A group of teens from "multiple municipalities" came to the city playground "engage in a fight," Reading Police Chief Richard Tornielli said.
A young man died and three others were hurt in a shooting involving fighting teens near a swing set and basketball court at a Berks County playground Monday night.
The shooting took place inside Brookline Park off Meade Street in Reading, Pennsylvania, around 7:45 p.m. Monday, Reading police said. When officers arrived they found 18-year-old Amiere Tyhee Bibbs shot dead.
At a Tuesday morning new conference, Reading Mayor Eddie Moran called it "a very unfortunate incident," while urging parents to curb the violence.
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A group of young people believed to be in the age range of 16 to 18 from "multiple municipalities" came to the city playground to "engage in a fight," Reading Police Chief Richard Tornielli said Tuesday.
Multiple people then started firing guns.
Three people -- including a young female -- were taken to Reading Hospital to be treated for gunshot wounds. All of them were expected to survive, Tornielli said.
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The Governor Mifflin School District said on its website that four students were involved in the incident. The district transitioned Tuesday classes for all middle school and high school students to virtual learning.
"Counseling services will be available at both schools for any students in need," the district said. "Thank you for your cooperation, our thoughts are with our students during this difficult time."
The high school remained virtual Wednesday and Thursday, the school district said, while middle schoolers returned to classrooms Wednesday.
Investigators spent hours marking evidence and searching for clues, still on the scene as of Tuesday morning. At least 45 evidence markers were used, many marking where shell casings fell on the ground.
A bullet struck at least one neighboring home, police said.
Police said that witness accounts said that anywhere from 15 to 30 people were involved in the initial fight. Police didn't release any information on suspects.
"A park, a playground is not a place for violence," Moran said. "It's a place where children should be coming to have fun-filled times, good memories."
Moran said that he would be reaching out to schools, faith-based groups and other city organizations to tackle the challenge of gun violence.
"We should not live like this," the Democratic mayor said. "It's time for us to take our community back into our hands. Us, as parents have a responsibility."
