PHILADELPHIA — The humid August weekend was punctuated by gun violence, as 18 people were shot, including one child, on Saturday and Sunday around Greater Philadelphia.
A 7-year-old boy was hit in the thigh by crossfire while playing video games Saturday night, one of many victims in a violent weekend of summertime gunfire in the city.
The other victims ranged in age from 16 to 59, including a 34-year-old man who died of his wounds in the 2600 block of West Berks Street, shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday.
The 7-year-old boy was in his bedroom on the 200 block of Collom Street, in East Germantown, when a stray bullet struck his upper right thigh, police said. Officers responded at 9:41 p.m. and took the boy and his mother to Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, where the child was listed in stable condition. The shooter, who fired from outside the home, was not seen by anyone inside, police said.
In the West Berks shooting, the victim was struck once in the neck while inside a vehicle, police said. No arrest was made at the time of the report.
Among the other incidents was a double shooting in the 5400 block of Walker Street, soon after midnight Sunday. A 24-year-old man was hit in the chest and stomach, and a 25-year-old woman was grazed in the chest and forehead. Both were taken by private vehicle to Jefferson Frankford Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition and she in stable condition. Police arrested a suspect but did not provide additional details.
On Sunday at 12:21 am, police responded to a radio call to the 2500 block of Belford St. Officers found an unresponsive male, age unknown, lying on the basement floor suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at 12:43 a.m.
Minutes later, at 12:36 am, police responded to the 6100 block of Torresdale Avenue and found another shooting victim, a 23-year-old male suffering from gunshots to the back. The victim was transported to Jefferson-Torresdale hospital in critical condition. Police had no arrests or motive.
Soon after 1 a.m. Sunday, a 59-year-old man was shot in the buttocks and left thigh in the 2900 block of North Fairhill Street. He was listed in critical condition at Temple University Hospital.
Then shortly before 3:30 a.m. Sunday, a 43-year-old man was shot in the back and a 16-year-old boy was shot in the right arm and right thigh in the 7200 block of Glenloch Street, police said. A city ambulance took the older victim to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, while the teenager was taken to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and listed in stable condition.
Finally at 8:18 a.m., a 21-year-old man was shot in the right thigh and taken by ambulance to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.
Sunday’s violence was preceded by more than half a dozen shootings on Saturday.
At 9:49 p.m., a 19-year-old man was shot on the 3000 block of Mifflin Street. He was shot on the right side of his chest, was transported to Presbyterian Hospital and listed in stable condition.
At 6:55 p.m., an 18-year-old male living at the 4900 block of North Lawrence Street was transported to Albert Einstein Hospital with a gunshot wound to his right thumb.
At 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, a 31-year-old male was shot twice in his lower abdomen and was transported to Temple Hospital. At the same location, a 32-year-old male was shot once in his right calf and also transported to the same hospital. They were both listed in stable condition.
Saturday morning at 9:25 a.m., police said a 49-year-old male was shot on the 4200 block of Frankford Avenue. He was shot once in the ankle while walking to a store. The man was transported to Jefferson Hospital and placed in stable condition.
At 5:36 a.m., a 52-year-old man was shot twice in the abdomen on the 100 bloack of N. 10th Street. He was also transported to Jefferson Hospital and placed in critical condition.
The violence began just after midnight Saturday, with a double shooting inside a night club on the 900 block of Cherry Street. A 23-year-old woman was shot once in each thigh, and a 28-year-old man was shot once in the thigh. They were both transported by medics to Jefferson hospital and placed in stable condition. A gun was recovered, but no arrests were made.
