Philadelphia shooting: Teen killed, 4 others injured in shooting after high school football scrimmage
PHILADELPHIA - One teen is dead and four others are injured after police say a shooting erupted following a football scrimmage at Roxborough High School on Tuesday afternoon.
Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 300 block of Fairway Terrace just before 5 p.m. for reports of a shooting.
Police found four teens, including two 14-year-olds, suffering from gunshot wounds and rushed them to local hospitals. Another 14-year-old student was treated at the scene for a graze wound.
One of the 14-year-olds who was struck in the chest was brought to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he died, police said. He was later identified as Nicholas Elizalde of Havertown, Pennsylvania.
A 17-year-old suffered gunshot wounds to the arm and leg, while a 14-year-old and 15-year-old were both shot in the leg. All three are said to be in stable condition.
Law enforcement sources tell FOX 29's Kelly Rule that at least five shooters were involved and more than 60 spent shell casings from three different guns were recovered from the scene.
Authorities are also searching for the car the alleged suspects were seen getting into, according to sources. Officials have not yet released information on the make or model of the vehicle.
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Deputy Commissioner John Stanford told reporters the shooting happened after a joint practice between Roxborough High School, Northeast High School and Boys Latin High School.
The group of students, who police believe are all players for Roxborough High School, were walking on Pechin Street when police say they were "ambushed" by at least two gunmen.
"I am absolutely outraged, I'm shocked, quite frankly I'm a little shaken," District Attorney Larry Krasner said. "Schools are supposed to be the answer, they're supposed to be the answer, we keep kids in schools, so they don't get involved in shooting."
The deadly shooting comes shortly after Philadelphia matched 400 homicides so far this year, a slight increase from a historically bloody 2021.
"A cowardly act": Leaders react to deadly ambush shooting of Philadelphia teens after football scrimmage
Local leaders reacted to the ambush shooting of five teenagers who police say had just left a high school football scrimmage when they were shot. One of the victims, a 14-year-old, died at the hospital from a gunshot wound to the chest.
"Schools used to be a safe haven for our young people," Special Advisor on School Safety Kevin Bethel told reporters. "To see that now our young people can't even come to a scrimmage game and be shot is totally unacceptable."
Hours before the deadly shooting, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney signed an executive order banning guns from recreation spaces and facilities as deadly violence continues to plague the city.
"There are no words for what transpired earlier tonight. Another young life has been cut short and others injured by needless violence," Kenney tweeted following the shooting. "The violence must stop and the cowards who use these weapons must be held accountable."
Philadelphia officials are holding a press conference on Wednesday afternoon to provide an update on the shooting investigation.