A one-year-old boy and a 44-year-old woman have been killed after a shooting in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
The deadly incident took place on Friday night when police were called to two different shootings just blocks away from each other in the city, which has around 126,000 residents.
The child and the woman were found dead in a house on Chestnut Street, Lehigh County District Attorney-elect Gavin Holihan said, according to Lehigh Valley News.
A 66-year-old man was also shot in the Chestnut Street incident, according to 6ABC.
The deaths were determined to be homicides by Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio.
According to neighbours, police arrived around 9pm on Friday as they were called to the subsequent shootings.
The other shooting took place near Ridge Avenue and West Gordon Street.
Lehigh Valley News described Chestnut Street as “a narrow one-lane street lined with rowhomes across from Harrison-Morton Middle School”.
Mr Buglio said the shooting occurred around 8.50pm, adding that he pronounced the child and the woman dead at the scene.
“Both victims have been identified and their families notified,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
“However, due to these tragic circumstances, I am not releasing their identities at this time, thus allowing the families to grieve privately,” he added. “I personally want to offer my prayers and condolences to the families, friends and everyone affected by this incident.”
Lehigh County Democratic State Rep Joshua Siegel said in a statement, “I awoke this morning like many members of our community, sickened, angry and heartbroken over another night of senseless violence in our city”.
“I offer my sincerest condolences to the families afflicted by last night’s shootings, and I stand with the many Allentonians who are tired of watching their neighborhoods and streets be stained with the blood of gun violence,” he added.
“Allentown is a resilient city, and I know we won’t let these tragedies define us,” Mr Siegel said. “I have endless faith in our community partners, our police department, and our stakeholders to work together to bring safety and security to every neighborhood and every block. I stand ready to support them in whatever way they need.”
Police found a male and female having been shot in a separate incident at Ridge Avenue. They are expected to survive. Twenty-three-year-old Demitrius Bashir Campbell of Allentown was arrested and has been charged with attempted homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, and two counts of aggravated assault in addition to other charges, according to 6ABC.
The local TV station also reported that there was a third shooting in Allentown at 2.25am on Saturday morning. Police found a man with severe gunshot wounds in a parking lot near a bar close to Hanover Avenue. Shortly afterwards, another two men arrived at the hospital with gunshot wounds.
Allentown Police do not think the three shootings are connected at this time.
