Five Killed in Philadelphia Shooting, Marking the Deadliest Incident during July 4 Holiday

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According to police, a 40-year-old man armed with a rifle, a pistol, additional ammunition, a police scanner, and a bulletproof vest carried out a shooting in a Philadelphia neighborhood. The gunman fatally shot four men in the area of Kingsessing, then pursued and killed a fifth man inside a residence. The violent incident, which took place on Monday night, resulted in injuries to a 2-year-old boy and a 13-year-old, making it the most devastating act of violence during the July 4 holiday period.

As the police pursued the shooter for several blocks, he fired at them. Eventually, the perpetrator surrendered in an alley, as confirmed by Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw during a press conference. Outlaw emphasized that the shooter had no prior connection to the victims before the attack.

Outlaw expressed gratitude for the swift response and courage displayed by the officers at the scene. “I cannot adequately describe the level of bravery and courage demonstrated, along with the remarkable restraint shown here,” she stated.

In a separate incident, approximately four hours after the Philadelphia shooting, another shooting occurred at a neighborhood festival in Fort Worth, Texas, resulting in three fatalities and eight injuries. Meanwhile, a holiday weekend block party in Baltimore, located about 90 miles southwest of Philadelphia, saw two individuals killed and 28 others wounded, with more than half of the victims being minors.

In Philadelphia, police were alerted to the situation around 8:30 p.m. on Monday when they were flagged down by witnesses. Multiple reports of gunfire were also received from Kingsessing. While assisting the injured victims, officers heard additional gunshots. Outlaw revealed that one of the victims was chased into their home and fatally shot, with bullet casings discovered outside the residence.

Authorities took another individual into custody who may have engaged in a shootout with the suspect. Outlaw stated that the connection between the two individuals remained unknown.

The crime scene spanned eight blocks, with numerous shell casings scattered throughout the area. Outlaw noted, “As you can see, there are several locations here. We are canvassing the area to gather as much information as possible, identify witnesses, locate surveillance cameras, and do everything we can to uncover the motive behind this incident.”

On Tuesday afternoon, the victims were identified as 20-year-old Lashyd Merritt, 29-year-old Dymir Stanton, 59-year-old Ralph Moralis, and 15-year-old Daujan Brown, who all succumbed to their injuries shortly after the shooting. The fifth victim, 31-year-old Joseph Wamah, Jr., was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside a residence early Tuesday.

Two minors, a 2-year-old boy shot four times in the legs and a 13-year-old shot twice in the legs, were in stable condition. Additionally, a 2-year-old boy and a 33-year-old woman sustained injuries from shattered glass but were also in stable condition.

Witnesses in the area described the chaotic scene. Tim Eads, who heard the sound of fireworks followed by gunshots, observed the shooter and another armed individual near his car. Eads suspected that the second individual may have been firing at the shooter while using Eads’ car as cover.

Another resident named Roger, who withheld his last name, recalled hearing several gunshots while his family was eating in the living room. Initially mistaking the sound for fireworks, he soon realized the severity of the situation. Roger witnessed people fleeing the scene and heard additional shots, both before and after the arrival of the police.

This incident in Philadelphia marks the 29th mass killing of 2023 in the United States, according to a database maintained by The Big Big

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More about Philadelphia shooting

• Philadelphia shooting leaves five dead during July 4 holiday
• Police Commissioner Outlaw’s statement on the shooting
• Incidents of violence during July 4 holiday across the country
• Statistics on mass shootings in the United States
• Updates on the investigation into the Philadelphia shooting